THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINA 


ENDOWED  BY  THE 
DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 
SOCIETIES 


PQ2469 

.V4 

E5 

1888 


""J^WENTY  ^j^HOUSAND 

LEAGUES 


THE 


O  R, 


THE  MARVELLOUS  AND  EXCITING  ADVEN 
TURES  OF  PIERRE  ARONNAX,  CONSEIl 
HIS  SERVANT,  AND  NED  LAND, 

A  CANADIAN  HARPOONER, 


By  JULES  VERNE. 


NEW  YORK: 

F^OLLARD  &  MOSS, 

4.2  Park  Place  and  37  Barclay  Street 

1888. 


CONTENTS 


PART  1 

PAOB 

Chapter  I.— The  mysterious  anri  inexplicable  Phenomena  of  1866. 
—A  Monster  of  the  Sea.— Testimony  to  its  existence.  —  Facts  and 
Incidents.  —  Accident  to  the  Scotia.  —  Public  Opinion  excited.— 
Thousands  of  Ships  annuallv  lost  —Ocean  TraA-^el  becoming  more 
and  more  dangerous.— The  Sea  must  be  rid  of  the  formidable  Ce¬ 
tacean . . . . . .  13 

Chapter  IT,— My  arrival  in  New  York.— Mysteries  of  the  Great 
Submarine  Grounds.— Am  consulted  on  the  Phenomena  in  Ques¬ 
tion.— Philosophical  Disquisition.— A  gigai:  ti  c  N  arwhal.or  U  nlcorn 
of  the  Sea.— Public  Opinion  pronounced.— The  United  States  Frig¬ 
ate  Abraham  Lincoln  to  solve  the  Mystery.— Preparations  to  sail. 
—My Invitation .  .  . . .  . .  19 

Chapter  III.— My  Resolution.— Professor  Aronnax  accepts  the  of¬ 
fer  of  the  American  Goveruinent.—Conseil,— What’s  in  a  Name?  — 
"As  you  please  Sir.”— The  Archioterium,  Hyracotberium,  Oreo- 
dons,  Cheropotamus,  and  live  Babiroussa  !— A  glorious  Life  but 
a  dangerous  one.- Brooklyn  Quay.— Getting  off.- Oieers  from 
live  hundred  thousand  Thro.ats.— Down  the  Bay.— Eight  Bells.— 
Fire  Island  Lights.— On  the  dark  Atlantic .  24 

Chapter  I Y.— Commander  Farragut.  —  An  enthusiastic  Crew.— 
Two  Thousand  Dollars  Reward.— Ned  Land,  the  Prince  of  Har- 
pooners.— His  Opinion.— What  Whales  can  do  and  what  they  can’t. 

— Science  rs.  Superstition.— A  little  figuring,  and  what  comes  of  it.  28 

Chapter  V.— Ned  Land  at  Work.— Doubling  Cape  Horn.— Hunting 
the  “Sea-Serpent.”  —  Anxious  Hours.  —  Three  Months  on  the 
North  Pacific.— Great  nervous  Excitement.— Reaction.— Shall  the 
Search  be  abandoned?— Tliree  decisive  days.— Last  Chance  to 
pocket  the  Prize. — The  Monster  appears .  34 

Chapter  VI.— Beating  Hearts.— An  illuminated  Sea.— The  Nar¬ 
whal  approaches.— We  execute  a  retrogade  Movement.— A  Night 
of  terrible  Suspense.— Exciting  Pursuit  of  a  mysterious  and  for¬ 
midable  Enemy. — Ned  Land  makes  another  “Strike.”— A  Waste 
of  Ammunition.— Fearful  Shock.— I  fall  into  the  Sea 

3 


39 


4 


CONTENTS. 


®HAPTER  VII.— Not  alone.— Faithful  Conseil.— A  night- 1 5ng  Strug¬ 
gle  with  Death.— Ned  and  the  ‘  Monster,”— Development  extra- 
ordinai'y.— The  Mystery  uuraveled.—A  novel  Specimen  of  naval 
Architecture.— VVe  take  Passage .  4g 

Chapter  VIII.— Our  new  Quarters.— Darkness  and  Light.—  The 
Submarine  Boat  and  its  Commander.— Unsatisfactory  Interview. 
—Clothed  and  fed.— “  Mobilis  in  Mobili.  N.”—Stax'tling  Sensa¬ 
tions.— Speculations  regarding  our  Situation.— Dreadful  Night¬ 
mares  followed  by  a  deep  Sleep . . . .  52 

Chapter  IX.— I  awake  refreshed.— And  Inspect  my  Surroundings. 
—The  Prison  a  Prison  still.— Ventilatiou.—A  fearful  Silence  and 
protracted  Fast.— Ned  Land  assaults  the  Steward.— ‘'Paries  vous 
Francais  ?” . .  53 

'v'H AFTER  X.— More  about  the  Man  of  the  Seas.— Glimpse  of  a  ter¬ 
rible  Past.— Hints  of  the  Future.— Prospective  Visit  to  the  Land  of 
Marvels.— A  Submarine  Dining-room  and  Bill  of  Fare.— Fillet  of 
Turtle  and  Dolphin’s  Livers.— Free  Life  under  the  Sea.— Captain 
Nemo’s  Library.— Magnificent  Drawing-room  and  Museum  of 


the  Nautilus.— My  own  Apartment .  61 

Chapter  XI.— The  Captain’s  Room.— A  powerful  Agent.— The  Sou! 
of  the  Nautilus.— All  by  Electricity.— Fifty  Miles  an  Hour .  78 


CHAPTER  XII.— The  Captain  explains  the  Mechanism  of  his  Craft. 

— Atmospheric  Pressure  and  Compression. —  Ingenious  Devices. 
—The  “Perfection  of  Vessels.”— Secret  of  its  mysterious  Cou- 
structlon.— A  desert  Island  in  the  Ocean.— Fabulous  Wealth  of 
Captain  Nemo . SO 

Chapter  XIII.— Geological  and  Geographical.— Arrangements  for 
our  first  Submarine  Voyage.— Ocean  Currents.— The  Black  River. 

— Nedand  Conseil.— Dissolving  Views.— Grand  electrical  Illumln  • 
ation.— A  Window  opens  into  the  unexplored  Abyss.  —  An  im¬ 
mense  Aquarium . 86 

Chapter  XIV.— A  Day  in  the  Museum.—  Compensations.  —  Inex¬ 
plicable  Absence  of  the  Captain.- Sunrise  on  the  Sea.— "JVautron 
respoc  lomi  vireh." — A  Note  of  Invitation.- The  Rouciuarol  and 


Ruhmkorff  Apparatus.— A  destructive  Arm .  92 

Chapter  XV.— A  Walk  on  the  Bottom  of  the  Sea.— Realm  of  the 
Naiads.— A  Reality  Stranger  than  Fiction.— Forests  of  the  Island 
of  Crespo .  99 


Chapter  XVI.— Fauna  and  Flora.- Zoophytes  and  Hydrophytes.— 
Curious  Anomaly. —  The  Arbor  of  Alari®.  —  We  fall  asleep.— 
Awakened  by  an  unexpected  Apparition.  —  A  m'onstrous  Sea- 
spider.— Seventy  -five  Fathoms  below  the  level  of  the  Sea.— Game. 
—Befleotions.— Hair-breadth  Escape.— Return  to  the-Nautllus 104 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XVIL— FiBhjiig  extraordinary.— The  Life  of  the  Ocean. 
—Mysteries  of  the  Submarine  World.— Four  thousand  Left^ues 
under  the  Pacific.  —  Sandwich  Islands.— Marquesas.— Wreck  of 
the  Florida,...,.. o.  ..  .  .  . . . . . . . . Ill 

Chapter  XVIIL— A  new  Continent.  —  Study  of  the  Madreporal 
System.— How  Islands  are  made.— TahiM  the  Queen  of  the  Pacific.  • 
— Vanikoro,— The  Story  of  La  Perouse.— “  A  Coral  Tomb  makes  a 
quiet  Grave.”.........,  ........ 0..0.  . . 117 


Chapter  XIX.— A  “  Happy  New  Year.”— A  dangerous  Passage 
through  the  Coral  Sea,— Torres  Straits.- Tbe  Nautilus  aground,— 

"  Accident  or  Incident  ?”— Once  more  on  terra  ^rmo.— Ned  Land 
Jubilant— Grilled  Vension  or  Loin  of  Tiger,— which  . 125 

Chapter  XX.— The  Island  of  Gilboa.— A  Feast  of  Cocoa-nuts.— 
Cannibals.— Bread-fruit  Pie.— A  Raid  upon  the  Cabbage-palms.— 
Return  to  the  Nautilus,— Second  Visit  to  the  Island.— A  World  of 
chattering  Parrots  and  grave  Cockatoos.— Birds  of  Paradise.- A 
magnificent  Specimen.—”  Intemperance.”— The  Kangaroo.— Din¬ 
ner  Party  on  Shore.— A  Surprise . 131 

Chapter  XXL— Ned  Land  and  his  Provisions.- Comical  Tableau. 
—“To  the  Boat !”— A  hundred  Savages  in  Pursuit.— A  Night  in 
the  Tropics.— Excitement  on  Shore.— A  Swarmof  Natives.— Open¬ 
ing  the  Hatches.— Captain  Nemo’s  Thunderbolt.— Release  of  the 
Nautilus .  139 

iHAPTER  XXII.— In  Motion.— Taking  Observations.— Strange  Agi¬ 
tation  of  Captain  Nemo.— An  imperious  Command.— Imprison¬ 
ment.— Only  Ship’s  Fare.— Total  Darkness.— Becoming  stupefied. 
—Complete  Insensibility . 149 

>HAPTER  XXIIl.— Wide  awake  and  free!— An  impenetrable  Mys¬ 
tery.— Consulted  professionally.-Death  comes  to  the  Nautilus.— 

A  submarine  Excursion.  —  The  marvelous  Coral  Kingdom.— 
Transformations  and  magical  Effects.— Burial  Scene  under  the  Sea  156 


PART  II. 

XHAPTER  I.— The  Indian  Ocean.— Birds  and  Fishes,— A  Shual  of 
Argonauts.— Crossing  the  Equator.  —  Forbidding  Spectacle.— A 
Sea  of  Milk . 165 

t^GAPTER  II.— The  Island  of  Ceylon.— A  novel  Proposal  from  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo.— Visit  to  the  Banks  of  Manaar. — A  “  Tear  of  the  Sea.” 
—Sbark-Hnnting.— Pearls.— What  they  are  and  how  secured.— 
vomiting  the  Cost  . •' . 1T2 


6 


CONTENTS. 


PAOa 

CHAPTER  III.— A  visit  to  the  Fisheries.— Oj'ster  extraordinary.— A 
pearl  of  ten  Milliotia.— The  Indian  Diver.— Terror-stricken.-A 
fearful  Combat.— The  Rescue.— Muuificeiit  Charity  from  the  Man 
of  the  Waters,—“Reveugp.”— Conclusions . 177 

* 

Chapter  IV.— The  Laccadive  Archii)elago.— Domes  and  Minarets 
of  the  Country  of  Oman.— Only  a  Vision.— “The  Gate  of  Tears.”— 
The  Waters  of  the  Red  Sea.— An  indescribable  Spectacle.— The 
Home  of  the  Sponges.— M.  Lessens  and  the  Suez  Canal.— Captain 
Nemo’s  Discovery.— The  “  Aiabian  Tunnel.” . . . .  . igp 

Chapter  V.— Terrific  Encounter  with  a  gigantic  Dugong.  —  A 
Glimpse  of  Sinai.— The  Silence  of  Night.— The  floating  Light  of 
Suez.— Under  tlie  Isthmus.— Captain  Nemo  at  the  Helm.  — The 
Torrent  of  the  Tunnel.— In  the  Mediterranean . 199 

Chapter  VI.— Ned  desires  a  Change.— Planning  for  the  Future. 
-Captain  Nemo’s  Correspondent.— A  Chest  of  Gold.— The  Gre¬ 
cian  Archipelago.— Submarine  Eruptions.— In  a  Sulphur  Bath,— 
choking,— broiled  ! . 2(^ 

Chapter  VII.— The  Mediterranean  in  forty-eightHours.— Gibral¬ 
tar.— Ruins  of  the  Temple  of  Hercules.— Floating  on  the  Atlantic.  213 

Chapter  VIII.— Arrangements  for  Escape  from  the  Nautilus.— 
Conflicting  Emotions.  —  A  Chapter  in  the  History  of  Spain.- 
Secrets  of  Vigo  Bay.— An  inexhaustible  Fishery  of  Gold  and  Sll- 
ver.— Source  of  Captain  Nemo’s  Wealth.— A  Heart  beating  for 
suffering  Humanity.— Aid  for  the  Cretans . 219 

Chapter  IX.— A  curious  Excursion  to  a  vanished  Continent.— The 
Submarine  Deptlis  in  the  Darkness  of  Niglit.  —  Rain-shower 
under  the  Waves.— A  Copse  of  petrified  Trees.— Giant  Lobsters 
and  Titanic  Crabs.— A  Mountain  of  Fire.— The  Atlantis  of  Plato.— 
Ruins  a  thousand  Generations  old.  —  Moonliglit  through  the 
Waters . 228 

Chapter  X.— In  the  Heart  of  an  extinct  Volcano.— SubmarlneCoal- 
mines.— Captain  Nemo’s  Laboratory.— A  Dragon-tree  Beehive.— 
Ned  Land  risks  his  Life  for  Game . 236 

Chapter  XI.— The  Sargasso  Sea.— A  Lake  in  the  open  Atlantic.— 
Dreams  of  Liberty.— Mehnicholy  Tones  of  the  Captain’s  Organ.- 
We  are  pursued  by  a  Whaler.— Tliree  Leagues  under  Water.— Be¬ 
low  the  Limits  of  submarine  Existence.— An  Ocean  Photograph. 

Primitive  Rocks  wliicii  have  never  looked  upon  the  Light  of 
Heaven.” .  944 


Chapter  Xll.— a  Troop  of  vv  naies.— Pursued  by  Cachalots.— The 
Nautilus  enters  the  Field.— inhuman  Massacre.— A  Sea  ol  Blood. 
—Ned  Land’s  Indignation . 249 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  XIII.— Journeying  South.— “Ice  Blink.”— Crossing  th® 
Polar  Circle.— Gorgeous  Scenery  among  the  Fields  of  Ice.— Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo’s  audacious  Project.— To  the  Antarctic  Pole.— Fiv® 
hundred  Leagues  under  the  Icebergs.— la  the  open  Polar  Sea . 257 

Chapter  XIV.— The  Antarctic  Continent.— Maury’s  Hypothesis. — 
Evidences  of  volcanic  Origin.— Life  in  the  Air.— An  introduction 
to  the  interesting  Seal  Family.— A  City  of  Morses.— Scenes  and 
Sensations.— The  Vernal  Equinox  preceding  the  Polar  Night. — 
Altitude  of  the  Sun.— At  the  South  Pole  !— Captain  Nemo  un¬ 
furls  the  Black  Banner  and  takes  Possession . 265 

Chapter  XV.— Return  to  the  Depths.— A  Shock.— Overturning  of 
a  Mountain  of  Ice.— “  Things  God  never  intended  Man  to  see.’’— 

A  fearful  Situation.— Blocked  fast . 276 

Chapter  XVI.— An  impenetrable  Wall  of  Ice.— Two  ways  of  dy¬ 
ing.— A  living  Tomb.— Walls  closing  in.— One  danger  more.— Want 
of  Air.— Working  with  a  Will.— Dizziness.— Sulfocation.-Oppor- 
tune  Deliverance .  . 281 

Chapter  XVII.— Thankfulness.— The  Northern  Sun.- Terra  del 
Fuego.— From  Cape  Horn  to  the  Equatoi*.— Conseil  encounters  an 
electric  Fish.— A  Herd  of  Sea-Cows.— Novel  Expedient. — Turtle¬ 
fishing  on  the  Shores  of  the  Amazon.— Return  to  the  high  Seas.. 290 

Chapter  XVIII.— The  “Devil  Fish.”  — Terrible  Encounter. — 
Crushed  to  Death  in  the  Arms  of  a  Monster.— Ned  Land  saved  by 
the  Captain.— “  Only  Revenge.  ” . 298 

"hapter  XIX.  —  The  Gulf  Stream.  —  Phosphoresoent  Waters. — 
Longings  for  Liberty.— Nostalgia.— “  Whoever  enters  the  Nautilus 
never  quits  it. ’’—However,  Ned  resolves  to  be  free.— Terrific  Tem¬ 
pest  ofl;  the  Long  Island  Shore . 306 

Chapter  XX.— A  Visit  to  the  Atlantic  Cable.— Scene  of  the  Acci¬ 
dent  in  1863.— Toward  the  British  Isles.  —  Land’s  End.  —  Tho 
“Avenger.” . 314 

Chapter  XXI.— Mysterious  Existence  of  Captain  Nemo  unveiled. 
—Retaliation.— Ned  Land  Stricken  down  with  an  Iron  Hand.— The 
Black  Flag  unfurled.— Unwilling  witnesses  of  a  dreadful  Drama. 
—The  Archangel  of  Hatred  in  Tears  ! . 319 

Chapter  XXII.— Rapid  Flight  of  the  Nautilus  to  the  Northern 
Seas.— In  Sight  of  Land.— Plans  for  Escape  perfected.  —  Last 
Words  of  Captain  Nemo. — The  Maelstrom  !  the  Maelstrom  ! — Into 


the  Midst  of  the  Whirlpool.— I  lose  ail  Consciousness . 327 

Chapter  XXIII.— A  Marvelous  Escape,  and  End  of  the  Votag* 
Under  the  Seas . 834 


V 


t 


/ 


V  ' 


,? 


-•><, 


.'/**• 


tCv  ■'•• 


:^3 


/ 


t 


i: 


\ 


Jy,  >  _ 


Nw 


?  ,■' 


■■^.•>i^^5.i  'Lr:  -^^  >»4-«  >r** ^  *•  .^-  '*^ 


"^ntfji  f’-t 


< 


ft. 


Twenty  Thousand  Leagues 

UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


CHAPTER  1. 


A  SHIFTING  REEF. 

The  year  1866  was  signalized  by  a  remarkable  Incident,  d 
mysterious  and  inexplicable  phenomenon,  which  doubtless  no 
one  has  yet  forgotten.  Not  to  mention  rumors  which  agitated 
the  maritime  population,  and  excited  the  public  mind,  even  in 
the  interior  of  continents,  seafaring  men  were  particularly  ex¬ 
cited.  Merchants,  common  sailors,  captains  of  vessels,  skippers, 
both  of  Europe  and  America,  naval  officers  of  all  countries,  and 
the  governments  of  several  states  on  the  two  continents,  were 
deeply  interested  in  the  matter. 

For  some  time  past,  vessels  had  been  met  by  “  an  enormous 
thing,”  a  long  object,  spindle-shaped,  occasionally  phosphores¬ 
cent,  and  infinitely  larger  and  more  rapid  in  its  movements 
than  a  whale. 

The  facts  reiatin  ;•  to  this  apparition  (entered  in  various  log¬ 
books)  agreed  in  most  respects  as  to  the  shape  of  the  object  or 
creature  in  question,  the  untiring  rapidity  of  its  movements,  its 
surprising  power  of  locomotion,  and  the  peculiar  life  with 
which  it  seemed  endowed.  If  it  was  a  cetacean,  it  surpassed 
in  size  all  those  hitherto  classified  in  science.  Taking  into  con¬ 
sideration  the  mean  of  observations  made  at  divers  times, — 
rejecting  the  timid  estimate  of  those  who  assigned  to  this  object 
a  length  of  two  hundred  feet,  equally  with  the  exaggerated 
opinions  which  set  it  down  as  a  mile  in  width  and  three  in 
length,— we  might  fairly  conclude  that  this  mysterious  being 
surpassed  greatly  all  dimensions  admitted  by  the  ichthyologists 
of  the  day,  if  it  existed  at  all.  And  that  it  did  exist  was  an  un¬ 
deniable  fact ;  and,  with  that  tendency  which  disposes  the 
human  mind  in  favor  of  the  marvellous,  we  can  understand 
2  l;j 


14  TWEIf-TT  THOtJSAN©  LEAGUES  UNEEE  TSE  SEAS. 

the  exeitemeut  produced  in  the  entire  world  by  &is  supec^ 
natural  apparition.  As  to  okssing  it  in  the  list  of  fables,  the 
idea  was  out  of  the  question. 

On  the  20th  of  July,  18(56,  the  steamer  Governor  Hi^inson, 
of  the  Calcutta  and  Burnach  Steam  Navigation  Company,  had 
met  this  moving  mass  five  miles  off  the  east  coast  of  Australia. 
Captain  Baker  thought  at  first  that  he  was  in  the  presence 
of  an  unknown  sand-bank  ;  he  even  prepared  to  determine  its 
exact  position,  when  two  columns  of  water,  projected  by  the 
inexplicable  object,  shot  with  a  hissing  noise  a  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  up  into  the  air.  Now,  unless  the  sand-bank  had  been 
submitted  to  the  intermittent  eruption  of  a  geyser,  the  Governor 
Higginson  had  to  do  neither  more  nor  less  than  with  an 
aquatic  mammal,  unknown  till  then,  which  threw  up  from  its 
blow-holes  columns  of  water  mixed  with  air  and  vapor. 

Similar  facts  were  observed  on  the  23d  of  July  in  the  same 
year,  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  by  the  Columbus,  of  the  West  India 
and  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company.  But  this  extraordinary 
cetaceous  creature  could  transport  itself  from  one  place  to 
another  with  surprising  velocity;  as,  in  an  interval  of  three 
days,  the  Governor  Higginson  and  the  Columbus  had  observed 
4  at  two  different  points  of  the  chart,  separated  by  a  distance 
of  more  than  seven  hundred  nautical  leagues. 

Fifteen  days  later,  two  thousand  miles  farther  off,  the  Helvetia, 
of  the  Compagnie-Nationale,  and  the  Shannon,  of  the  Royal 
Mail  Steamship  Company,  sailing  to  windward  in  that  portion 
of  the  Atlantic  lying  between  the  United  States  and  Europe, 
respectively  signalled  the  monster  to  each  other  in  42°  15'  N.  lat. 
and  60°  35'  W.  long.  In  these  simultaneous  observations,  they 
thought  themselves  justified  in  estimating  the  minimum  length 
of  the  mammal  at  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  as  the 
Shannon  and  Helvetia  were  of  smaller  dimensions  than  it, 
though  they  measured  three  hundred  feet  over  all. 

Now  the  largest  w^hales,  those  which  frequent  those  parts  of 
the  sea  around  the  Aleutian,  Kulammak,  and  Umgullich  Islands, 
have  never  exceeded  the  length  of  sixty  yards,  if  they  attain  that 

'these  reports  arriving  one  after  the  other,  with  fresh  dbserva- 
tions  made  on  bbard  the  franBaflantic  ship  Pereira,  a  coRiSioh 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  15 

which  occurred  between  the  Etna  of  the  Inman  line  and  the 
monster,  a  proce^s  verbal  directed  by  the  officers  of  the  French 
frigate  Normandie,  a  very  accurate  survey  made  by  the  staff  of 
Commodore  Fitz-James  on  board  the  Lord  Clyde,  greatly  in¬ 
fluenced  public  opinion.  Light-thinking  people  jested  upon  the 
phenomenon,  but  grave  practical  countries,  such  as  England, 
America,  and  Glermany,  treated  the  matter  more  seriously. 

In  every  place  of  great  resort  the  monster  was  the  fashion. 
Iliey  sang  of  it  in  the  cafes,  ridiculed  it  in  the  papem,  and  rep¬ 
resented  it  on  the  stage.  All  kinds  of  stories  were  cu'culated 
regarding  it.  There  appeared  in  the  papers  caricatures  of  every 
gigantic  and  imaginary  creature,  from  the  white  whale,  the 
tenible  “  Moby  Dick  ”  of  hyperborean  regions,  to  the  hnmense 
kraken  whose  tentacles  could  entangle  a  ship  of  five  hundred 
tons,  and  huny  it  into  the  abj^ss  of  the  ocean.  The  legends 
of  ancient  times  were  even  resuscitated,  and  the  opinions  of 
Aristotle  and  Pliny  revived,  who  admitted  the  existence  of  these 
monsters,  as  well  as  the  Norwegian  tales  of  Bishop  Pontop- 
pidan,  the  accounts  of  Paul  Heggede,  and,  last  of  all,  the 
reports  of  Mr.  Harrington  (whose  good  faith  no  one  could 
suspect),  who  affirmed  that,  being  on  board  the  Castilian,  in 
.857,  he  had  seen  this  enormous  serpent,  which  had  never  until 
that  time  frequented  any  other  seas  but  those  of  the  ancient 
“  ComtitutioneV' 

Then  burst  forth  the  interminable  controversy  between  the 
credulous  and  the  incredulous  in  the  societies  of  savants  and 
scientific  journals.  “  The  question  of  the  monster  ”  inflamed  all 
minds.  Editors  of  scientific  journals,  quarrelling  with  believers 
in  the  supernatural,  spilled  seas  of  ink  during  this  memorable 
campaign,  seme  even  drawing  blood;  for,  from  the  sea-serpent, 
tliey  came  to  direct  personalities. 

For  six  months  war  was  waged  with  various  fortune  in  the 
leading  articles  of  the  Geographical  Institution  of  Brazil,  the 
Royal  Academy  of  Science  of  Berlin,  the  British  Association, 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  of  Washington,  in  the  discussions 
of  the  “Indian  Archipelago,”  of  the  Cosmos  of  the  Abbe 
Moigno,  in  the  Mittheilungen  of  Petermann,  in  the  scientific 
chronicles  of  the  great  journals  of  France  and  other  countries. 


2 


16  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

The  cheaper  journals  replied  keenly  and  with  inexhaustible  zest. 
These  satirical  writers  parodied  a  remark  of  Linnseus,  quoted 
by  the  adversaries  of  the  monster,  maintaining  “  that  nature  did 
not  make  fools,”  and  adjured  their  contemporaries  not  to  give 
the  lie  to  nature,  by  admitting  the  existence  of  krakens,  sear 
serpents,  “  Moby  Dicks,”  and  other  lucubrations  of  delirious 
sailors.  At  length  an  article  in  a  well-known  satirical  journal 
by  a  favorite  contributor,  the  chief  of  the  stRtf,  settled  the 
monster,  like  Hippolytus,  giving  it  the  death-blow  amidst  a 
universal  burst  of  laughter.  Wit  had  conquered  science. 

During  the  first  months  of  the  year  1S67,  the  question  seemed 
buried  never  to  revive,  when  new  facts  were  brought  before  the 
public.  It  was  then  no  longer  a  scientific  problem  to  be  solved, 
but  a  real  danger  seriously  to  be  avoided.  The  question  took 
quite  another  shape.  The  monster  became  a  smaU  island,  a 
rock,  a  reef,  but  a  reef  of  indefinite  and  shifting  proportions. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  1867,  the  Moravian,  of  the  Montreal 
Ocean  Company,  finding  herself  diu'ing  the  night  in  27°  30'  lat. 
and  72°  15'  long.,  struck  on  her  starboard  quarter  a  rock,  marked 
in  no  chart  for  that  part  of  the  sea.  Under  the  combined  efforts 
of  the  wind  and  its  four  hundred  horse-power,  it  was  going  at 
the  rate  of  thirteen  knots.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  superior 
strength  of  the  hull  of  the  Moravian,  she  would  have  been 
broken  by  the  shock,  and  gone  down  with  the  237  passengers 
she  was  bringing  home  from  Canada. 

The  accident  happened  about  five  o’clock  in  the  morning,  as 
the  day  was  breaking.  The  officers  of  the  quarter-deck  hurried 
to  the  after-part  of  the  vessel.  They  examined  the  sea  with  the 
most  scrupulous  attention.  They  saw  notliing  but  a  strong 
eddy  about  three  cables’  length  distant,  as  if  the  surface  had 
been  violently  agitated.  The  bearings  of  the  place  were  taken 
exactly,  and  the  Moravian  continued  its  route  without  apparent 
damage.  Had  it  struck  on  a  submerged  rock,  or  on  an  enor¬ 
mous  wreck?  they  could  not  tell;  but  on  examination  of  the 
ship’s  bottom  when  undergoing  repairs,  it  was  found  that  part 
of  her  keel  was  broken. 

This  fact,  so  grave  in  itself,  might  perhaps  have  been  forgot¬ 
ten  lilte  many  others,  if,  three  weeks  after,  it  had  not  been  re- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  17 


lyiactind  under  similar  circumstances.  But,  thanks  to  the  nation¬ 
ality  of  the  victim  of  the  shock,  thanks  to  the  reputation  of  the 
company  to  which  the  vessel  belonged,  the  circumstance  became 
extensively  circulated. 

The  13th  of  April,  1867,  the  sea  being  beautiful,  the  breeze 
favorable,  the  Scotia,  of  the  Cunard  Company’s  line,  found  her¬ 
self  in  15°  12'  long,  and  45°  37'  lat.  She  was  going  at  the  speed 
of  thirteen  knots  and  a  half. 

At  seventeen  minutes  past  four  in  the  afternoon,  whilst  the 
passengers  were  assembled  at  lunch  in  the  great  saloon,  a  slight 
shock  was  felt  on  the  hull  of  the  Scotia,  on  her  quarter,  a  little 
aft  of  the  port  paddle. 

The  Scotia  had  not  struck,  but  she  had  been  struck,  and  seem¬ 
ingly  by  something  rather  sharp  and  penetrating  than  blunt. 
The  shock  had  been  so  slight  that  no  one  had  been  alarmed,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  shouts  of  the  carpenter’s  watch,  who  rushed 
on  to  the  bridge,  exclaiming,  “  We  are  sinking  !  we  are  sink¬ 
ing  !”  At  first  the  passengers  were  much  frightened,  but  Cai)- 
tain  Anderson  hastened  to  reassure  them.  The  danger  could 
not  be  imminent.  The  Scotia,  divided  into  seven  compartments 
by  strong  partitions,  could  brave  with  impunity  any  leak.  Cap¬ 
tain  Anderson  went  down  immediately  into  the  hold.  He  found 
that  the  sea  was  pouring  into  the  fifth  compartment;  and  the 
rapidity  of  the  influx  proved  that  the  force  of  the  water  was 
considerable.  Fortunately  this  compartment  did  not  hold  the 
boilers,  or  the  fires  would  have  been  immediately  extinguished. 
Captain  Anderson  ordered  the  engines  to  be  stopped  at  once, 
and  one  of  the  men  went  down  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the 
injury.  Some  minutes  afterwards  they  discovered  the  existence 
of  a  large  hole,  of  two  yards  in  diameter,  in  the  ship’s  bottom. 
Such  a  leak  could  not  be  stopped;  and  the  Scotia,  her  paddles 
half  submerged,  was  obliged  to  continue  her  course.  She  was 
then  three  hundred  miles  from  Cape  Clear;  and  after  three  days’ 
delay,  which  caused  great  uneasiness  in  Liverpool,  she  entered 
the  basin  of  the  company. 

The  engineers  visited  the  Scotia,  which  was  put  in  dry-dock. 
They  could  scarcely  believe  it  possible:  at  two  yards  and  a  half 
below  water-mark  was  a  regular  rent,  in  the  form  of  an  isosceles 


18  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

triangle.  The  broken  place  in  the  iron  plates  was  so  perfectly 
defined,  that  it  could  not  have  been  more  neatly  done  by  a 
punch.  It  was  clear,  then,  that  the  instrument  producing  the 
perforation  was  not  of  a  common  stamp;  and  after  having  been 
driven  with  prodigious  strength,  and  piercing  an  iron  plate 
1%  inches  thick,  had  withdrawn  itself  by  a  retrograde  motion 
truly  inexplicable. 

Such  was  the  last  fact,  which  resulted  in  exciting  once  more 
the  torrent  of  public  opinion.  From  this  moment,  all  unlucky 
casualties  which  could  not  be  otherwise  accounted  for  were  put 
down  to  the  monster. 

Upon  this  imaginary  creature  rested  the  responsibility  of  all 
these  shipwrecks,  which  unfortunately  were  considerable;  for 
of  three  thousand  ships  whose  loss  was  annually  recorded  at 
Lloyds’,  the  number  of  sailing  and  steam  ships  supposed  to  be 
totally  lost^  from  the  absence  of  all  news,  amounted  to  not  less 
than  two  hundred. 

Now,  it  was  the  “monster”  who,  justly  or  unjustly,  was  ac¬ 
cused  of  their  disappearance,  and,  thanks  to  it,  communication 
between  the  different  continents  became  more  and  more  danger¬ 
ous.  The  public  demanded  peremptorily  that  the  seu  should  at 
any  prioe  be  relieved  from  this  formidable  cetacean. 


CHAPTER  II. 


PRO  AND  CON. 

At  the  period  when  these  events  took  place,  I  had  just  re¬ 
turned  from  a  scientific  research  in  the  disagreeable  territory  of 
Nebraska,  in  the  United  States.  In  virtue  of  my  office  as  Assist¬ 
ant  Professor  in  the  Museum  of  Natural  History  in  Paris,  the 
French  government  had  attached  me  to  that  expedition.  After 
six  months  in  Nebraska,  I  arrived  in  New  York  towards  the  end 
of  March,  laden  with  a  precious  collection.  My  departure 
for  France  was  fixed  for  the  first  days  in  May.  Meanwhile,  I 
was  occupying  myself  in  classifying  my  mineralogical,  botanical, 
and  zoological  riches,  when  the  accident  happened  to  the  Scotia. 

I  was  perfectly  up  in  the  subject  which  was  the  question  of  the 
day.  How  could  I  be  otherwise  ?  I  had  read  and  re-read  all 
the  American  and  European  papers  without  being  any  nearer  a 
conclusion.  This  mystery  puzzled  me.  Under  the  impossibility 
of  forming  an  opinion,  I  jumped  from  one  extreme  to  the  other. 
That  there  really  was  something  could  not  be  doubted,  and  the 
incredulous  were  invited  to  put  their  finger  on  the  wound  of 
the  Scotia. 

On  my  arrival  at  New  York,  the  question  was  at  its  height. 
The  hypothesis  of  the  floating  island,  and  the  unapproachable 
sand-bank,  supported  by  minds  little  competent  to  forma  judg¬ 
ment,  was  abandoned.  And,  indeed,  unless  this  shoal  had  a 
machine  in  its  stomach,  how  could  it  change  its  position  with 
such  astonishing  rapidity  ? 

From  the  same  cause,  the  idea  of  a  floating  hull  of  an  enor¬ 
mous  wreck  was  given  up. 

There  remained  then  only  two  possible  solutions  of  the 
question,  which  created  two  distinct  parties  :  on  one  side, 

J9 


30  TWENTY  THOUSAiO)  LEAGUES  UNDEE  THE  SEAS. 

those  who  were  for  a  monster  of  colossal  strength  ;  on  the 
other,  those  who  were  for  a  submarine  vessel  of  enormous  mo¬ 
tive  power. 

But  this  last  hjiJothesis,  plausible  as  it  was,  could  not  stand 
against  inquiries  made  in  both  worlds.  That  a  private  gentle¬ 
man  should  have  such  a  machine  at  his  command  was  not 
likely.  Where,  when,  and  how  was  it  built  ?  and  how  could 
its  construction  have  been  kept  secret  ?  Certainly  a  govern¬ 
ment  might  possess  such  a  destructive  machine.  And  in  these 
disastrous  times,  when  the  ingenuity  of  man  has  multiplied  the 
power  of  weapons  of  war,  it  was  possible  that,  without  the 
knowledge  of  others,  a  state  might  try  to  work  such  a  formidable 
engine.  After  the  chassepots  came  the  torpedoes,  after  the 
torpedoes  the  submarine  rams,  then— the  reaction.  At  least,  I 
hope  so. 

But  the  hypothesis  of  a  war-machine  fell  before  the  declarar 
tion  of  governments.  As  public  interest  was  in  question,  and 
tran»tlantic  communications  suffered,  their  veracity  could  not 
be  doubted.  But,  how  admit  that  the  construction  of  this  sub¬ 
marine  boat  had  escaped  the  public  eye  ?  For  a  private  gentle¬ 
man  to  keep  the  secaret  under  such  circumstances  would  be 
very  difficult,  and  for  a  state  whose  every  act  is  persistently 
watched  by  iwwerful  rivals,  certainly  impossible. 

After  inquiries  made  in  England,  France,  Russia,  Prussia, 
Spain,  Italy,  and  America,  even  in  Turkey,  the  hypothesis  of  a 
submarine  monitor  was  definitely  rejected. 

Upon  my  arrival  in  New  York  several  persons  did  me  the 
honor  of  consulting  me  on  the  phenomenon  in  question.  I  had 
published  in  France  a  work  in  quarto,  in  two  volumes,  entitled, 
“Mysteries  of  the  Great  Submarine  Grounds.”  This  book, 
highly  approved  of  in  the  learned  world,  gained  for  me  a  special 
repuUtlon  in  this  rather  obscure  branch  of  Natural  History. 
My  advice  was  asked.  As  long  as  I  could  deny  the  reality  of 
the  fact,  I  confined  myself  to  a  decided  negative.  But  soon 
finding  myself  driven  into  a  corner,  I  was  obliged  to  exidain 
myself  categorically.  And  even  “  the  Honorable  Herre  Aronnax, 
Ptnfbssor  In  the  Museum  of  Paris,”  wa^  called  upon  by  the 
N'eiD  York  Herald  to  express  a  definite  opinion  of  some  sort. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


21 


I  did  something.  I  spoke  for  want  of  power  to  hold  my  tongue. 
I  discussed  the  question  in  all  its  forms,  politically  and  scientih- 
cally  ;  and  I  give  here  an  extract  from  a  carefully  studied  article 
which  I  published  in  the  number  of  the  30th  of  April.  It  ran 
as  follows 

“After  examining  one  by  one  the  ditferent  hypotheses,  rejecting 
all  other  suggestions,  it  becomes  necessary  to  admit  the  existence 
of  a  marine  animal  of  enormous  power. 

“  The  great  depths  of  the  ocean  are  entirely  unknown  to  us. 
Soundings  can  not  reach  them.  What  passes  in  those  remet,e 
depths, — what  beings  live,  or  can  live,  twelve  or  fifteen  miles 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  waters,— what  is  the  organization  of 
these  animals,— we  can  scarcely  conjecture.  However,  the  solu¬ 
tion  of  the  problem  submitted  to  me  may  modify  the  form  of 
the  dilemma.  Either  we  do  know  all  the  varieties  of  beings 
which  people  our  planet,  or  we  do  not.  If  we  do  riot  know 
them  all,  if  Nature  has  still  secrets  in  ichthyology  for  us,  nothing 
is  more  comformable  to  reason  than  to  admit  the  existence  of 
fishes,  or  cetaceans  of  other  kinds,  or  even  of  new  species,  of  an 
oi^anization  formed  to  inhabit  the  strata  inaccessible  to  sound¬ 
ings,  and  which  an  accident  of  somf  sort,  either  fantastical  or 
capricious,  has  brought  at  long  intervals  to  the  upper  level  of 
the  ocean. 

“  If,  on  the  contrary,  we  do  know  all  living  kinds,  we  must 
necessarily  seek  for  the  animal  in  question  amongst  those  marine 
beings  already  classed;  and,  in  that  case,  I  should  be  disposed 
to  admit  the  existence  of  a  gigantic  narwhal. 

“  The  common  narwhal,  or  unicorn  of  the  sea,  often  attains  a 
length  of  axty  feet.  Increase  its  size  fivefold  or  tenfold,  give  it 
strength  proportionate  to  its  size,  lengthen  its  destructive  weap¬ 
ons,  and  you  obtain  the  animal  required.  It  will  have  the  pro¬ 
portions  determined  by  the  officers  of  the  Shannon,  the  instru¬ 
ment  required  by  the  perforation  of  the  Scotia,  and  the  power 
necessary  to  pierce  the  hull  of  the  steamer. 

“  Indeed  the  narwhal  is  armed  with  a  sort  of  ivory  sword,  u 
Jialberd,  according  to  the  expression  Of  certain  naturalists.  The 
t^ncipal  tusk  has  the  hardness  of  steel  Some  of  these  tu^iks 
have  been  found  buried  in  the  bodies  of  whales,  which  the  am* 


22  TWEISITY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

corn  always  attacks  with  success.  Others  have  been  drawn  out 
not  without  trouble,  from  the  bottoms  of  ships,  which  they  had 
pierced  tlurough  and  through,  as  a  gimlet  pierces  a  barrel  The 
Museum  of  the  Faculty  of  Medicine  of  Paris  possesses  one  of 
these  defensive  weapons,  two  yards  and  a  quarter  in  length,  and 
fifteen  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base. 

“  Very  well !  suppose  this  weapon  to  be  six  times  stronger,  and 
the  animal  ten  times  more  powerful ;  launch  it  at  the  rate  of 
twenty  miles  an  hour,  and  you  obtain  a  shock  capable  of  pro¬ 
ducing  the  catastrophe  required.  Until  further  information, 
therefore,  I  shall  maintain  it  to  be  a  sea-unicorn  of  colossal 
dimensions,  armed,  not  with  a  halberd,  but  with  a  real  spur,  as 
the  armored  frigates,  or  the  “rams”  of  war,  whose  massiveness 
and  motive  power  it  would  possess  at  the  same  time.  Tiaus  may 
tills  inexplicable  phenomenon  be  explained,  unless  there  be 
something  over  and  above  all  that  one  has  ever  conjectured 
seen,  perceived  or  experienced;  which  is  just  within  the  bounds 
of  possibility.” 

These  last  words  were  cowardly  on  my  part;  but,  up  to  a  cer¬ 
tain  point,  I  wished  to  shelter  my  dignity  as  Professor,  and  not 
give  too  much  cause  for  laughter  to  the  Americans,  who  laugh 
well  when  they  do  laugh.  I  reserved  for  myself  a  way  of  escape. 
In  effect,  however,  I  admitted  the  existence  of  the  “  monster.” 
My  article  was  warmly  discussed,  which  procured  it  a  high  rep¬ 
utation.  It  rallied  round  it  a  certain  number  of  partizans.  The 
solution  it  proposed  gave,  at  least,  full  liberty  to  the  imagination. 
The  human  mind  delights  in  grand  conceptions  of  supernatural 
beings.  And  the  sea  is  precisely  their  best  vehicle,  the  only 
medium  through  which  these  giants  (against  which  terrestrial 
animals,  such  as  elephants  or  rhinoceroses,  are  as  notliing)  can 
be  produced  or  developed. 

The  industrial  and  commercial  papers  treated  the  question 
chiefly  from  this  point  of  view.  The  SMp'pirig  and  Mercantile 
Gazette,  the  Lloyds^  List,  the  Packet-Boat,  and  the  Maritime  and 
Colonial  lievieio,  all  papers  devoted  to  insurance  companies 
which  threatened  to  raise  their  rates  of  preniium,  were  unani¬ 
mous  on  this  point.  Public  opinion  had  been  pronounced.  The 
United  States  were  the  first  in  the  field;  and  in  New  York  they 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  58 


made  preparations  for  an  expedition  destined  to  pursue  this 
narwhal.  A  frigate  of  great  speed,  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  was 
put  in  commission  as  soon  as  possible.  The  arsenals  were 
opened  to  Commander  Farragut,  who  hastened  the  arming  of 
his  frigate;  but,  as  it  always  happens,  the  moment  it  was  decided 
to  pursue  the  monster,  the  monster  did  not  appear.  For  two 
months  no  one  heard  it  spoken  of.  No  ship  met  with  it.  It 
seemed  as  if  this  unicorn  knew  of  the  plots  weaving  around  it. 
It  had  been  so  much  talked  of,  even  through  the  Atlantic  cable, 
that  jesters  pretended  that  this  slender  fly  had  stopped  a  tele¬ 
gram  on  its  passage,  and  was  making  the  m^ost  of  it. 

So  when  the  frigate  had  been  armed  for  a  long  campaign,  and 
provided  with  formidable  fishing  apparatus,  no  one  could  tell 
what  course  to  pursue.  Impatience  grew  apace,  when,  on  the 
2d  of  June,  they  learned  that  a  steamer  of  the  line  of  San 
Francisco,  from  California  to  Shanghai,  had  seen  the  animal 
three  weeks  before  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean.  The  excitement 
caused  by  this  news  was  extreme.  The  ship  was  revictualled 
and  well  stocked  with  coal. 

Three  hours  before  the  Abraham  Lincoln  left  Brooklyn  pier,  I 
received  a  letter  worded  as  follows  : — 

“  To  M.  Aronnax,  Professor  in  tlie  Museum  of  Paris, 

Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York. 

“  Sir,  —  If  you  will  consent  to  join  the  Abraham  Lincoln  in 
this  expedition,  the  government  of  the  United  States  will  with 
pleasure  see  France  represented  in  the  enterprise.  Commander 
Farragut  has  a  cabin  at  your  disposal.  Very  cordially  yours, 

“  J.  B.  Hobson,  Secretary  of  Meurire'^ 


CHAPTER  III 


I  FORM  MY  RESOLUTION. 

Three  seconds  before  the  arrival  of  J.  B.  Hobson’s  letter,  1  no 
more  thought  of  pursuing  the  unicorn  than  of  attempting  the 
passage  of  the  North  Sea.  Three  seconds  after  reading  the  letter 
of  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  Marine,  I  felt  that  my  true  voca¬ 
tion,  the  sole  end  of  my  life,  was  to  chase  this  disturbing  mon¬ 
ster,  and  purge  it  from  the  world. 

But  I  had  just  returned  from  a  fatiguing  journey,  weary,  and 
longing  for  repose.  I  aspired  to  nothing  more  than  again  see¬ 
ing  my  country,  my  friends,  my  little  lodging  by  the  Jardin  des 
Plantes,  my  dear  and  precious  collections.  But  nothing  could 
keep  me  back  !  I  forgot  all  —  fatigue,  friends,  and  collections  — 
and  accepted  without  hesitation  the  offer  of  the  American 
government. 

“  Besides,”  thought  I,  “  all  roads  load  back  to  Europe  ;  and  the 
unicorn  may  be  amiable  enough  to  hurry  me  towards  the 
coast  of  France.  This  worthy  animal  may  allow  itself  to  be 
caught  in  the  seas  of  Europo  (for  my  particular  benefit),  and  I 
will  not  bring  back  less  than  half  a  yard  of  his  ivory  halberd  to 
the  Museum  of  Natural  History.”  But  in  the  mean  while  I  must 
seek  tills  narwhal  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  which,  to  return 
to  France,  was  taking  the  road  to  the  antipodes. 

“  Conseil,”  I  called  in  an  impatient  voice. 

Conseil  was  my  servant,  a  true,  devoted  Flemish  boy,  who  had 
accompanied  me  in  all  my  travels.  I  liked  him,  and  he  returned 
the  liking  .well.  He  was  phlegmatic  by  nature,  regular  from 
principle,  zealous  from  habit,  evincing  little  disturbance  at  the 
different  surprises  of  life,  very  quick  with  his  hands,  and  apt  at 
any  service  required  of  him  ;  and,  despite  his  names,  never  giving 
advice,— ‘even  when  asked  for  it. 

24 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  TUE  SEAS.  25 


Cotxseil  had  followed  me  for  the  last  ten  years  wherever 
science  led.  Never  once  did  he  complain  of  the  length  or  fatigue 
of  a  journey,  never  make  an  objection  to  pack  his  portmanteau 
for  whatever  country  it  might  be,  or  however  far  away,  whether 
China  or  Congo.  Besides  all  tliis,  he  had  good  health,  which 
defied  all  sickness,  and  solid  muscles,  but  no  nerves ;  good  morals 
are  understood.  This  boy  was  thirty  years  old,  and  his  age 
to  that  of  his  master  as  fifteen  to  twenty.  May  I  be  excused 
for  saying  that  I  was  forty  years  old  ? 

But  Conseil  had  one  fault,  he  was  ceremonious  to  a  degree, 
and  would  never  speak  to  me  but  in  the  third  person,  which 
was  sometimes  provoking. 

“Conseil,”  said  I  again,  beginning  with  feverish  hands  to 
make  preparations  for  my  departure. 

Certainly  I  was  sure  of  this  devoted  boy.  As  a  rule,  I  never 
asked  him  if  it  were  convenient  for  him  or  not  to  follow  me  In 
my  travels ;  but  this  time  the  expedition  in  question  might  be 
prolonged,  and  the  enterprise  might  be  hazardous  in  pursuit  of 
an  animal  capable  of  sinking  a  frigate  as  easily  as  a  nutshell. 
Here  there  was  matter  for  reflection  even  to  the  most  impassive 
man  in  the  world.  What  would  Conseil  say  ? 

“  Conseil,”  I  called  a  third  time. 

Conseil  appeared. 

“  Did  you  call,  sir?”  said  he,  entering. 

“Yes,  my  boy;  make  preparations  for  me  and  yourself  too. 
A^e  leave  in  two  hours,” 

“  As  you  please,  sir,”  replied  Conseil,  quietly. 

“  Not  an  instant  to  lose;  lock  in  my  trunk  all  travelling  uten- 
tils,  coats,  shirts,  and  stockings, —  without  counting, —  as  many 
as  you  can,  and  make  haste.” 

“  And  your  collections,  sir?”  observed  Conseil. 

“  We  will  think  of  them  by  and  by.” 

“  What,  the  archiotherium,  the  hyracotherium,  the  oreodons, 
the  cheropotamus,  and  the  other  skins?” 

“  They  will  keep  them  at  the  hotel.” 

“  And  your  live  Babiroussa,  sir?” 

“They  will  feed  it  during  our  absence;  besides,  I  will  give 
Ardeis  to  forward  our  menagerie  to  France'.” 


26  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  We  are  not  returning  to  Paris,  tlien?”  said  Conseii. 

“  Oh!  certainly,”  1  answered  evasively,  “  by  making  a  cm  a.” 

“  Will  the  curve  please  you,  sir?” 

“  Oh!  it  will  be  nothing;  not  quite  so  direct  a  road,  that  is  all. 
We  take  our  passage  in  the  Abraham  Lincoln.” 

“  As  you  think  proper,  sir,”  coolly  replied  Conseii. 

“You  see,  my  friend,  it  has  to  ao  with  the  monster, —  the 
famous  narwhal.  We  are  going  to  purge  it  from  the  seas.  The 
author  of  a  work  in  quarto,  m  two  volumes,  on  the  ‘  Mysteries 
of  the  Great  Submarine  Groimds,’  can  not  forbear  embarking 
with  Commander  Farragut.  A  glorious  mission,  but  a  danger¬ 
ous  one!  We  can  not  tell  where  we  may  go;  these  animals  can 
be  very  capricious.  But  we  will  go  whether  or  no;  we  have 
got  a  captain  who  is  pretty  wide  awake.” 

I  opened  a  credit  account  for  Babiroussa,  and,  Conseii  fol¬ 
lowing,  I  jumped  into  a  cab.  Om*  luggage  was  transported  to 
the  deck  of  the  frigate  immediately.  I  hastened  on  board  and 
asked  for  Commander  Farragut.  One  of  the  sailors  conducted 
me  to  the  poop,  where  I  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  a 
gooddooking  officer,  who  held  out  liis  hand  to  me. 

“  Monsieur  Pierre  Aroimax?”  said  he. 

“Himself,”  replied  I;  “Commander  Farragut?” 

“You  are  welcome.  Professor;  your  cabin  is  ready  for  you.” 

I  bowed,  and  desired  to  be  conducted  to  the  cabin  destined  for 
me. 

The  Abraham  Lincoln  had  been  well  chosen  and  equipped  for 
her  new  destination.  She  was  a  frigate  of  great  speed,  fitted 
with  high-pressure  engines  which  admitted  a  pressure  of  seven 
atmospheres.  Under  this  the  Abraham  Lincoln  attained  the 
mean  speed  of  nearly  eighteen  knots  and  a  third  an  hour,—  a 
considerable  speed,  bui,  nevertheless,  insufficient  to  grapple  with 
this  gigantic  cetacean. 

The  interior  arrangements  of  the  frigate  corresponded  to  its 
nautical  qualities.  I  was  well  satisfied  with  my  cabin,  which 
was  in  the  after-part,  opening  upon  the  gun-room. 

“We  shall  be  well  off  here,”  said  1  to  Conseii. 

‘•As  well,  by  your  honor’s  leave,  as  a  hermit-crab  in  the  shell 
of  a  whelk,”  said  Conseii. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  S? 


X  left  Conseil  to  stow  our  trunks  conveniently  away,  and  re 
mounted  the  poop  in  order  to  survey  the  preparations  for  de¬ 
parture.  At  that  moment  Commander  Farragut  was  ordering 
the  last  moorings  to  be  cast  loose  which  held  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  to  the  pier  of  Brooklyn.  So  in  a  quarter  of  an  horn’,  per¬ 
haps  less,  the  frigate  would  have  sailed  without  me.  I  should 
have  missed  this  extraordinary,  supernatm'al,  and  incredible  ex¬ 
pedition,  the  recital  of  which  may  well  meet  with  some  scepticism. 

But  Commander  Farragut  would  not  lose  a  day  nor  an  hour 
in  scouring  the  seas  in  which  the  animal  had  been  sighted.  He 
sent  for  the  engineer. 

“Is  the  steam  full  on?”  asked  he.  “Yes,  sir,”  replied  the 
engineer.  “  Go  ahead,”  cried  Commander  Farragut. 

The  quay  of  Brooklyn,  and  all  that  part  of  New  York  border¬ 
ing  on  the  East  River,  was  crowded  with  spectators.  Three 
cheers  burst  successively  from  five  hundred  thousand  throats  ; 
thousands  of  handkerchiefs  were  waved  above  the  heads  of  the 
compact  mass,  saluting  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  until  she  reached 
the  waters  of  the  Hudson,  at  the  point  of  that  elongated  pen¬ 
insula  which  forms  the  town  of  New  York.  Then  the  frigate, 
following  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  along  the  right  bank  of  the 
beautiful  river,  covered  with  villas,  passed  between  the  forts, 
which  saluted  her  with  their  heaviest  guns.  The  Abraham  Lin¬ 
coln  answered  by  hoisting  the  American  colors  three  times, 
whose  thirty-nine  stars  shone  resplendent  from  the  mizzen- 
peak ;  then  modifying  its  speed  to  take  the  narrow  channel 
marked  by  buoys  placed  in  the  inner  bay  formed  by  Sandy 
Hook  Point,  it  coasted  the  long  sandy  beach,  where  some  thou¬ 
sands  of  spectators  gave  it  one  final  cheer.  The  escort  of  boats 
and  tenders  still  followed  the  frigate,  and  did  not  leave  her  un¬ 
til  they  came  abreast  of  the  light-ship,  whose  two  lights  marked 
the  entrance  of  New  York  Channel. 

Six  bells  struck,  the  pilot  got  into  his  boat,  and  rejoined  the 
little  schooner  which  was  waiting  under  our  lee,  the  fires  were 
made  up,  the  screw  beat  the  waves  more  rapidly,  the  frigate 
skirted  the  low  yellow  coast  of  Long  Island  ;  and  at  eight  bells, 
after  having  lost  sight  in  the  northwest  of  the  lights  of  Fire 
Island,  she  ran  at  full  steam  on  to  the  dai'k  waters  of  the 
Atlantiow 


CHAPTER  IV. 


NED  LAND. 

Captain  Fabeagut  was  a  good  seaman,  worthy  of  the  frigate 
he  commanded.  His  vessel  and  he  were  one.  He  was  the  soul 
of  it.  On  the  question  of  the  cetacean  there  was  no  doubt  in 
his  mand,  and  he  would  not  allow  the  existence  of  the  animal 
to  be  disputed  on  board.  He  believed  in  it  as  certain  good 
women  believed  in  the  leviathan,— by  faith,  not  by  reason.  The 
monster  did  exists  and  he  had  sworn  to  rid  the  seas  of  it.  He 
was  a  kind  of  Knight  of  Rhodes,  a  second  Dieudonne  de  Gozon, 
going  to  meet  the  serpent  which  desolated  the  island.  Either 
Captain  Farragut  would  kill  the  narwhal,  or  the  narwhal  would 
kill  the  captain.  There  was  no  tliird  course. 

The  of&cers  on  board  shared  the  opinion  of  their  chief.  They 
were  ever  chatting,  discussing,  and  calculating  the  various 
chances  of  a  meeting,  watching  narrowly  the  vast  surface  of 
the  ocean.  More  than  one  took  up  his  quarters  voluntarily  in 
the  cross-trees,  who  would  have  cuised  such  a  berth  under  any 
other  circumstances.  As  long  as  the  sim  described  its  daily 
course,  the  rigging  was  crowded  with  sailors,  whose  feet  were 
burnt  to  such  an  extent  by  the  heat  of  the  deck  as  to  render  it 
unbearable ;  still  the  Abraham  Lincohi  had  not  yet  breasted  the 
suspected  waters  of  the  Pacific.  As  to  the  ship’s  company,  they 
desired  nothing  better  than  to  meet  the  unicorn,  to  harpoon  it. 
hoist  it  on  board,  and  despatch  it.  They  watched  the  sea  with 
eager  attention. 

Besides,  Captain  Farragut  had  spoken  of  a  certain  sum  of  two 
thoiisand  dollars,  set  apart  for  whoever  should  first  sight  the 
xnonster,  were  he  cabhi-boy,  common  seaman,  or  ofiQcer. 

I  leave  you  to  judge  how  eyes  were  used  on  board  the  Abra¬ 
ham  Lineoln. 


TV/ENTY  TEOtrSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  20 


For  my  own  pai't,  I  was  not  oehind  the  others,  and  lefl;  to  no 
one  my  share  of  dally  observations.  The  frigate  might  have 
been  called  the  Argus,  for  a  hundred  reasons.  Only  one 
amongst  us,  Conseil,  seemed  to  protest  by  his  indifference 
against  the  question  which  so  interested  us  all,  and  seemed  to 
be  out  of  keeping  with  the  general  enthusiasm  on  board. 

1  have  said  that  Captain  Farragut  had  carefully  provided  his 
ship  with  every  apparatus  for  catching  the  gigantic  cetacean. 
No  whaler  had  ever  been  better  armed.  We  possessed  every 
known  engine,  from  the  harpoon  thrown  by  the  hand  to  tlie 
barbed  arrows  of  the  blunderbuss,  and  the  explosive  balls  of 
the  duck-gun.  On  the  forecastle  lay  the  perfection  of  a  breech- 
loading  gun,  very  thick  at  the  breech,  and  very  narrow  in  the 
bore,  the  model  of  which  had  been  in  the  Exhibition  of  1867. 
This  precious  weapon  of  American  origin  could  throw  with 
ease  a  conical  projectile  of  nine  pounds  to  a  mean  distance  of 
ten  miles. 

Thus  the  Abraham  Lincoln  wanted  for  no  means  of  deetruo- 
tion  ;  and,  what  was  better  still,  she  had  on  board  Ned  Land, 
the  prince  of  harpooners. 

Ned  Land  was  a  Canadian,  with  an  uncommon  quickness  of 
hand,  and  who  knew  no  equal  in  his  dangerous  occupation. 
Skill,  coolness,  audacity,  and  cunning  he  possessed  in  a  8ui)erior 
degree,  and  it  must  be  a  cunning  whale  or  a  singularly  “cute” 
cachalot  to  escape  the  stroke  of  his  harpoon. 

Ned  Land  was  about  forty  years  of  age  ;  he  was  a  tall  man 
(more  than  six  feet  high),  strongly  built,  grave  and  taciturn, 
occasionall}’^  violent,  and  very  passionate  when  contradicted. 
His  person  attracted  attention,  but  above  all  the  boldness  of  his 
look,  which  gave  a  singular  expression  to  his  face. 

Who  calls  himself  Canadian  calls  himself  French ;  and 
little  communicative  as  Ned  Land  was,  I  must  admit  that  he 
took  a  certtiin  liking  for  me.  My  nationality  drew  him  to  me, 
no  doubt.  It  was  an  opportunity  for  him  to  talk,  and  for  me  to 
hear,  that  old  language  of  Eabelais,  which  is  still  in  use  in 
some  Canadian  provinces.  The  harpooneFs  family  was  origin¬ 
ally  from  Quebec,  and  was  already  a  tribe  of  hardy  fishermen 
when  this  town  belonged  to  France. 

3 


30  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

Little  by  little,  Ned  Land  acquired  a  taste  for  chatting,  and  1 
loved  to  hear  the  recital  of  his  adventures  in  the  polar  seas.  He' 
related  his  fishing,  and  his  combats,  with  natural  poetry  of  ex- 
pression ;  his  recital  took  the  form  of  an  epic  poem,  and  1 
seemed  to  be  listening  to  a  Canadian  Homer  singing  the  Iliad 
of  the  regions  of  the  North. 

I  am  portraying  tliis  hardy  companion  as  I  really  knew  him. 
We  are  old  friends  now,  united  in  that  unchangeable  friendship 
which  is  born  and  cemented  amidst  extreme  dangers.  Ah, 
brave  Ned !  I  ask  no  more  than  to  live  a  hundred  years  longer, 
t’iat  I  may  have  more  time  to  dwell  the  longer  on  your  memory. 

Now,  what  was  Ned  Land’s  opinion  upon  the  question  of  the 
marine  monster  ?  I  must  admit  that  he  did  not  believe  in  the 
unicorn,  and  was  the  only  one  on  board  who  did  not  share  that 
universal  conviction.  He  even  avoided  the  subject,  which  I  one 
day  thought  it  my  duty  to  press  upon  liim.  One  magnificent 
evening,  the  25th  June, — that  is  to  say,  three  weeks  after  our 
departure, — the  frigate  was  abreast  of  Cape  Blanc,  thirty  miles 
to  leeward  of  the  coast  of  Patagonia.  We  had  crossed  the 
tropic  of  Capricorn,  and  the  Straits  of  Magellan  opened  less 
than  seven  hundred  miles  to  the  south.  Before  eight  days  were 
over,  the  Abraham  Lmcoln  would  be  plowing  the  waters  of 
the  Pacific. 

Seated  on  the  poop,  Ned  Land  and  I  were  chatting  of  one 
thing  and  another  as  we  looked  at  this  mysterious  sea,  whose 
great  depths  had  up  to  this  time  been  inaccessible  to  the  eye  of 
man.  I  naturally  led  up  the  conversation  to  the  giant  unicorn, 
and  examined  the  various  chances  of  success  or  failure  of  the 
expedition.  But  seeing  that  Ned  Land  let  me  speak  without 
saying  too  much  himself,  I  pressed  him  more  closely. 

“Well,  Ned,”  said  I,  “is  it  possible  that  you  are  not  convinced 
of  the  existence  of  this  cetacean  that  we  are  following  ?  Have 
you  any  particular  reason  for  being  so  incredulous  ?  ” 

The  harpooner  looked  at  me  fixedly  for  some  moments  be¬ 
fore  answering,  struck  his  broad  forehead  with  his  hand  (a 
habit  of  his),  as  if  to  collect  himself,  and  said  at  last,  “  Perhaps 
I  have,  Mr.  Aronnax.” 

“But,  Ned,  you,  a  whaler  by  profession,  familiarized  with  all 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UUDEA-  THE  SEAS. 

«fhe  great  marine  mammalia, — yon,  whose  imagination  might 
easily  accept  the  hypothesis  of  enormous  cetaceans,  —  you 
ought  to  be  the  last  to  doubt  under  such  circumstances  !  ” 

“That  is  just  what  deceives  you.  Professor,”  replied  Ned. 
“  That  the  vulgar  should  beheve  in  extraordinary  comets  travers¬ 
ing  space,  and  in  the  existence  of  antediluvian  monsters  in  the 
heart  of  the  globe,  may  well  be;  but  neither  astronomers  nor 
geologists  believe  in  such  chimeras.  As  a  whaler,  I  have  fol¬ 
lowed  many  a  cetacean,  harpooned  a  great  number,  and  killed 
several;  but,  however  strong  or  well-armed  they  may  have  been, 
neither  their  tails  nor  their  weapons  would  have  been  able  even 
to  scratch  the  iron  plates  of  a  steamer.” 

“  But,  Ned,  they  tell  of  ships  which  the  teeth  of  the  narwhal 
have  pierced  through  and  through.” 

“  Wooden  ships,— that  is  possible,”  replied  the  Canadian;  “but 
I  have  never  seen  it  done;  and,  until  further  proof,  I  deny  that 
whales,  cetaceans,  or  sea-unicorns  could  ever  produce  the  effect 
you  describe.” 

“  Well,  Ned,  I  repeat  it  with  a  conviction  resting  on  the  logic 
of  facts.  I  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  mammal  powerfully  or¬ 
ganized,  belonging  to  the  branch  of  vertebrata,  like  the  whales, 
the  cachalots,  or  the  dolphins,  and  furnished  with  a  horn  of  de¬ 
fense  of  great  penetrating  power.” 

“  Hum !  ”  said  the  harpooner,  shaking  his  head  with  the  air 
of  a  man  who  would  not  be  convinced. 

“  Notice  one  thing,  my  worthy  Canadian,”  I  resumed.  “  If 
such  an  animal  is  in  existence,  if  it  inhabits  the  depths  of  the 
ocean,  if  it  frequents  the  strata  lying  miles  below  the  surface  of 
the  water,  it  must  necessarily  possess  an  organization  the 
strength  of  which  would  defy  all  comparison.” 

“And  why  this  powerful  organization?”  demanded  Ned. 

“  Because  it  requires  incalculable  strength  to  keep  one’s  self 
in  these  strata  and  resist  their  pressure.  Listen  to  me.  Let  us 
admit  that  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  is  represented  by  the 
weight  of  a  column  of  water  thirty-two  feet  high.  In  reality 
the  column  of  water  would  be  shorter,  as  we  are  speaking  of 
sea-water,  the  density  of  which  is  greaier  than  that  of  fresh 
water.  Very  well,  when  you  dive,  Ned,  as  many  times  thirty-two 


bS  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEA5. 

feet  of  water  as  there  are  above  you,  so  many  times  does  your 
body  bear  a  pressure  equal  to  that  of  the  atmosphere,  that  is  to 
say,  15  lbs.  for  each  square  inch  of  its  surface.  It  follows,  then, 
that  at  320  feet  this  pressure  —  that  of  10  atmospheres,  of  100  at¬ 
mospheres  at  3,200  feet,  and  of  1,000  atmospheres  at  32,000  feet, 
that  is,  about  6  miles;  which  is  equivalent  to  saying  that,  if  you 
could  athiin  this  depth  in  the  ocean,  each  square  %  of  an  inch 
of  the  surface  of  your  body  would  bear  a  pressure  of  5,600  lbs. 
Ah  I  my  brave  Ned,  do  you  know  how  many  square  hiches  you 
carry  on  the  surface  of  your  body?” 

“  I  have  no  idea,  Mr.  Aronnax.” 

“About  6,500;  and,  as  in  reality  the  atmospheric  pressure  is 
about  16  lbs.  to  the  square  inch,  your  6,6(X)  square  inches  bear  at 
this  moment  a  pressure  of  07,600  lbs.” 

“Without  my  perceiving  it?” 

“  Without  your  perceiving  it.  And  if  you  are  not  crushed  by 
such  a  pressure,  it  is  because  the  air  penetrates  the  interior  of 
your  body  with  equal  pressure.  Hence  perfect  equilibrium  be¬ 
tween  the  interior  and  exterior  pressure,  which  thus  neutralize 
each  other,  and  which  allows  you  to  bear  it  without  inconven¬ 
ience.  But  in  the  water  it  is  another  thing.” 

“  Yes,  I  understand,”  replied  Ned,  becoming  more  attentive; 
“  because  the  water  surrounds  me,  but  does  not  penetrate.” 

“Precisely,  Ned;  so  that  at  32  feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
sea  you  would  undergo  a  pressure  of  97,500  lbs.;  at  820  feet,  ten 
times  that  pressure;  at  8,200  feet,  a  hundred  times  that  pressure; 
lastly,  at  82,000  feet,  a  thousand  times  tliat  pressure  would  be 
97,600,000  lbs.,  — that  is  to  say,  that  you  would  be  flattened 
as  if  you  had  been  drawn  from  the  plates  of  an  hydrauhe 
machine !  ” 

“  The  devil  I  ”  exclaimed  Ned. 

“  Very  well,  my  worthy  harpooner,  if  some  vertebrate,  several 
hundred  yards  long,  and  large  in  proportion,  can  maintain  itself 
in  such  depths, — of  those  whose  surface  is  represented  by  mil¬ 
lions  of  square  inches,  that  is  by  tens  of  millions  of  poimds,  we 
must  estimate  the  pressure  they  undergo.  Consider,  then,  what 
must  be  the  resistance  of  their  bony  structure,  and  the  ^rength 
of  their  organization  to  withstand  such  presenr;'  I 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  33 


“  Why !  ”  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  “  they  must  be  made  of  iron 
plates  eight  inches  thick,  like  the  armored  frigates.” 

“  As  you  say,  Ned.  And  think  what  destruction  such  a  mass 
would  cause,  if  hurled  with  the  speed  of  an  express  train  against 
the  hull  of  a  vessel.” 

"Yes — certainly — perhaps,”  replied  the  Canadian,  shaken  by 
these  figures,  but  not  yet  willing  to  give  in. 

"Well,  have  I  convinced  you?” 

"You  have  convinced  me  of  one  thing,  sir,  which  is,  that  if 
such  animals  do  exist  at  the  bottom  of  the  seas,  they  must  nec¬ 
essarily  be  as  strong  as  you  say.” 

"But  if  they  do  not  exist,  mine  obstinate  harpooner,  how  ex¬ 
plain  the  accident  to  the  Scotia?” 


1 


CHAPTER  V. 


,  AT  A  VENTURE. 

Tiw  voyage  of  the  Abraham  Lincoln  was  for  a  long  time 
marked  by  no  special  incident.  But  one  circumstance  happen '  i 
which  showed  the  wonderful  dexterity  of  Ned  Land,  and  proved 
what  confidence  we  might  place  in  him. 

The  30th  of  June,  the  frigate  spoke  some  American  whalers, 
from  whom  we  learned  that  they  knew  nothing  about  the  nar¬ 
whal.  But  one  of  them,  the  captain  of  the  Monroe,  knowing 
that  Ned  Land  had  shipped  on  board  the  Abraham  Lincoln, 
begged  for  his  help  in  chasing  a  whale  they  had  in  sight.  Com¬ 
mander  Farragut,  desirous  of  seeing  Ned  Land  at  work,  gave 
him  permission  to  go  on  board  the  Monroe.  And  fate  served 
our  Canadian  so  well  that,  instead  of  one  whale,  he  harpooned 
two  with  a  double  blow,  striking  one  straight  to  the  heart  and 
catching  the  other  after  some  minutes’  pursuit. 

Decidedly,  if  the  monster  ever  had  to  do  with  Ned  Land’s  har¬ 
poon,  I  would  not  bet  in  its  favor. 

The  frigate  skirted  the  southeast  coast  of  America  with  great 
rapidity.  The  3d  of  July  we  were  at  the  opening  of  the  Straits 
of  Magellan,  level  with  Cajpe  Vierges.  But  Commander  Farra¬ 
gut  would  not  take  a  tortuoiis  passage,  but  doubled  Cape  Horn. 

The  ship’s  crew  agreed  with  him.  And  certainly  it  was  possi¬ 
ble  that  they  might  meet  the  narwhal  in  this  narrow  pass.  Many 
of  the  sailors  affirmed  that  the  monster  could  not  pass  there, 
“that  he  was  too  big  for  that!” 

The  6th  of  July,  about  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  the 
Abraham  Lincoln,  at  fifteen  miles  to  the  south,  doubled  the  sol¬ 
itary  island,  this  last  rock  at  the  extremity  of  the  American  con¬ 
tinent  to  which  some  Dutch  sailors  gave  the  name  of  their 

34 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  35 


native  town,  Cape  Horn.  The  course  was  taken  towards  the 
northwest,  and  the  next  day  the  screw'  of  ihe  frigate  was  at  last 
beating  the  waters  of  the  Pacific. 

“Keep  your  eyes  open!”  called  out  the  sailors. 

And  they  were  opened  widely.  Both  eyes  and  glasses,  a  little 
dazzled,  it  is  true,  by  the  prospect  of  two  thousand  dollars,  had 
not  an  instant’s  repose.  Day  and  night  they  watched  the  surface 
of  the  ocean,  and  even  nyctalopes,  whose  faculty  of  seeing  in 
the  darkness  multiplies  their  chances  a  hundred  -  fold,  would 
have  had  enough  to  do  to  gain  ^he  prize. 

I  myself,  for  whom  money  had  no  charms,  was  not  the  least 
attentive  on  board.  Giving  but  few  minutes  to  my  meals,  but  a 
few  hours  to  sleep,  indifferent  to  either  rain  or  sunshine,  I  did 
not  leave  the  poop  of  the  vessel.  Now  leaning  on  the  netting 
of  the  forecastle,  now  on  the  taffrail,  I  devoured  with  eagerness 
the  soft  foam  which  whitened  the  sea  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach;  and  how  often  have  I  shared  the  emotion  of  the  majority 
of  the  crew  when  some  capricious  whale  raised  its  black  back 
above  the  waves!  The  poop  of  the  vessel  was  crowded  in  a 
moment.  The  cabins  poured  forth  a  torrent  of  sailors  and  offi¬ 
cers,  each  with  heaving  breast  and  troubled  eye  watching  the 
course  of  the  cetacean.  I  looked,  and  looked,  till  I  was  nearly 
blind,  whilst  Conseil,  always  phlegmatic,  kept  repeating  in  a 
calm  voice: — 

“If,  sir,  you  would  not  squint  so  much,  you  woula  see  better!” 

But  vain  excitement!  the  Abraham  Lincoln  checked  its  speed 
and  made  for  the  animal  signalled,  a  simple  whale,  or  common 
cachalot,  which  soon  disappeared  amidst  a  storm  of  execration. 

But  the  weather  was  good.  The  voyage  wms  being  accom¬ 
plished  under  the  most  favorable  auspices.  It  was  then  the  bad 
season  in  Australia,  the  July  of  that  zone  corresponding  to  our 
January  in  Europe;  but  the  sea  was  beautiful  and  easily  scanned 
round  a  vast  circumference. 

The  20th  of  July,  the  tropic  of  Capricorn  was  cut  by  105°  of 
longitude,  and  the  27th  of  the  same  month  we  crossed  the  equa¬ 
tor  on  the  noth  meridian.  This  passed,  the  frigate  took  a  more 
decided  westerly  direction,  and  scoured  the  central  waters  of 
the  Bacific.  Commander  Farragut  thought,  and  with  reason. 


36  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAft 

* 

that  it  was  better  to  remain  in  deep  water,  and  keep  clem  ot 
continents  or  islands,  which  the  beast  itself  seemed  to  shun 
(perhaps  because  there  was  not  enough  water  for  him  !  sug¬ 
gested  the  greater  part  of  the  crev/).  The  frigate  passed  at 
some  distance  from  the  Marquesas  and  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
crossed  the  tropic  of  Cancer,  and  made  for  the  China  Seas.  We 
were  on  the  theater  of  the  last  diversions  t)f  the  monster;  and 
to  say  truth,  we  no  longer  lived  on  board.  Hearts  palpitated 
fearfuliy,  preparing  themselves  for  future  incurable  aneurism. 
The  entire  ship’s  crew  were  undergoing  a  nervous  excitement, 
of  which  I  can  give  no  idea;  they  could  not  eat,  they  could  not 
sleep;  twenty  times  a  day,  a  misconception  or  an  optica! illusion 
of  some  sailor  seated  on  the  taffrail  would  cause  dreadful  per¬ 
spirations,  and  these  emotions,  tw-enty  times  repeated,  kept  us  in 
a  state  of  excitement  so  violent  that  a  reaction  v/as  unavoidable. 

And  truly,  reaction  soon  showed  itself.  For  three  months, 
during  which  a  day  seemed  an  age,  the  Abraham  Lincoln  fur¬ 
rowed  all  the  waters  of  the  Northern  Pacific,  rimning  at  whales, 
making  sharp  deviations  from  her  course,  veering  suddenly 
from  one  tack  to  another,  stopping  suddenly,  putting  on  steam, 
and  backing  ever  and  anon  at  the  risk  of  deranging  her  ma¬ 
chinery;  and  not  one  point  of  the  Japanese  or  American  coast 
was  left  unexplored. 

The  warmest  partisans  of  the  enterprise  now  became  its  moa 
ardent  detractors.  Keaction  mounted  from  the  crew  to  the 
captain  himself,  and  certainly,  had  it  not  been  for  resolute  de¬ 
termination  on  the  part  of  Captain  Farragut,  the  frigate  would 
have  headed  due  southward.  This  useless  search  could  not  last 
much  longer.  The  Abraham  Lincoln  had  nothing  to  reproach 
herself  with,  she  had  done  her  best  to  succeed.  Never  had  an 
American  ship’s  crew  shown  more  zeal  or  patience;  its  failure 
could  not  be  placed  to  their  charge, — there  remained  nothing 
but  to  return. 

This  was  represented  to  the  commander.  The  sailors  could 
not  hide  their  discontent,  and  the  service  suffered.  I  will  not 
say  there  was  a  mutiny  on  board,  but  after  a  reasonable  period 
of  obstinacy.  Captain  Farragut  (as  Columbus  did)  asked  for 
three  days’  patience.  If  in  three  days  the  monster  did  not  ap 


TWENTY  TllOtrSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  IHE  SEAS,  81 


pear,  the  man  at  the  helm  should  give  three  turns  of  the  wheel, 
and  tne  Abraham  Lincoln  would  make  for  the  European 
seas. 

This  promise  was  made  on  the  2d  of  November.  It  had  th© 
effect  of  rallying  the  ship’s  crew.  The  ocean  was  watched  with 
renewed  attention.  Each  one  wished  for  a  last  glance  in  which 
to  sum  up  his  remembrance.  (iJas.ws  were  used  with  feverish 
activity.  It  was  a  grand  defiance  given  to  the  giant  narwhal, 
and  he  could  scarcely  fail  to  answer  the  summons  and  “  ap¬ 
pear.” 

Two  days  passed,  the  steam  was  at  half  pressure;  a  thousand 
schemes  were  tried  to  attract  the  attention  jwid  stimulate  the 
apathy  of  the  animal  in  case  it  should  be  met  in  those  parts. 
Large  quantities  of  bacon  were  trailed  in  the  wake  of  the  ship, 
to  the  great  satisfaction  (I  must  say)  of  the  sharks.  Small  craft 
radiated  in  all  directions  round  the  Abraham  Lincoln  as  she  lay 
to,  and  did  not  leave  a  spot  of  the  sea  unexplored.  But  the 
night  of  the  4th  of  November  arrived  without  the  unveiling  of 
this  submarine  mystery. 

The  next  day,  the  5th  of  November,  at  twelve,  the  delay  would 
(morally  speaking)  expire;  after  that  time,  Commander  Farra- 
gut,  faithful  to  his  promise,  was  to  turn  the  course  to  the  south¬ 
east,  and  abandon  forever  the  northern  regions  of  the  Pacific. 

The  frigate  was  then  in  31°  15'  north  latitude  and  136°  42' 
east  longitude.  The  coast  of  Japan  still  remained  less  than  two 
hundred  miles  to  leeward.  Night  was  approaching.  They  had 
just  struck  eight  bells;  large  clouds  veiled  the  face  of  the 
moon,  then  in  its  first  quarter.  The  sea  undulated  peaceably 
under  the  stern  of  the  vessel. 

At  that  moment  I  was  leaning  forward  on  the  starboard  net¬ 
ting.  Conseil,  standing  near  me,  was  looking  straight  before 
him.  The  crew,  perched  in  the  ratlines,  examined  the  horizon, 
which  contracted  and  darkened  by  degrees.  Officers  with  then- 
night-glasses  scoured  the  growing  darkness;  sometimes  the 
ocean  sparkled  under  the  rays  of  the  moon,  which  darted  be¬ 
tween  two  clouds,  then  all  trace  of  light  was  lost  in  the  dark¬ 
ness. 

In  looking  at  Conseil,  I  could  see  he  was  undergoing  a  httle 


88  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

of  the  general  influence.  At  least  I  thought  so.  Perhaps  for 
the  first  time  his  nerves  vibrated  to  a  sentiment  of  curiosity. 

“  Come,  Conseil,”  said  I,  “  this  is  the  last  chance  of  pocketing 
the  two  thousand  dollars.” 

“May  I  be  permitted  to  say,  sir,”  replied  Conseil,  “that  I 
never  reckoned  on  getting  the  prize  ;  and,  had  the  government 
of  the  Union  offered  a  hundred  thousand  c  ollars,  it  would  have 
been  none  the  poorer.” 

“  You  are  right,  Conseil.  It  is  a  foolish  affair  after  all,  and 
one  upon  which  we  entered  too  lightly.  What  time  lost,  what 
useless  emotions !  We  f  hould  have  been  back  in  France  six 
months  ago.” 

‘  In  your  little  room,  sir,”  replied  Conseil,  “  anr*  in  your  mu¬ 
seum,  sir  ;  and  I  should  have  already  classed  ah  your  fossils,  sir. 
And  the  Babiroussa  would  have  been  installed  in  its  cage  in  tiie 
Jm'din  des  Plantes,  and  have  drawn  all  the  curious  people  of 
the  capital !  ” 

“As  you  say,  Conseil.  I  fancy  we  shall  run  a  fair  chance  of 
being  laughed  at  for  our  pains.” 

“  That’s  tolerably  certain,”  replied  Conseil,  quietly  ;  “  I  think 
they  will  make  fun  of  you,  sir.  And,  must  I  say  it  ?  ”  — 

“  Go  on,  my  good  friend.” 

“  Well,  sir,  you  will  only  get  your  deserts.” 

“  Indeed !  ” 

“When  one  has  the  honor  of  being  a  savant  as  you  are,  sir, 
one  should  not  expose  one’s  self  to  —  ” 

Conseil  had  not  time  to  finish  his  compliment.  In  the  midst 
of  general  silence  a  voice  had  just  been  heard.  It  was  the 
Toice  of  Ned  Land  shouting : 

“  Look  out  there !  the  very  thing  we  are  looking  for,—  on  our 
weather  beam  I” 


CHAPTER  VI. 


AT  FULL  STEAM. 

At  this  cry  the  whole  ship’s  crew  hurried  towards  the  har- 
pooner, — commander,  officers,  masters,  sailors,  cabin-boys  ;  even 
the  engineers  left  their  engines,  and  the  stokers  their  furnaces. 

The  order  to  stop  her  had  been  given,  and  the  frigate  now 
simply  went  on  by  her  own  momentum.  The  darkness  was  then 
profound  ;  and  however  good  the  Canadian’s  eyes  were,  I  asked 
myself  how  he  had  managed  to  see,  and  what  he  had  been  able 
to  see.  My  heart  beat  as  if  it  would  break.  But  Ned  Land  was 
not  mistaken,  and  we  all  perceived  the  object  he  pointed  to.  At 
two  cables’  lengths  from  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  on  the  star¬ 
board  quarter,  the  sea  seemed  to  be  illuminated  all  over.  It 
was  not  a  mere  phosphoric  phenomenon.  The  monster 
emerged  some  fathoms  from  the  water,  and  then  threw  out 
that  very  intense  but  inexplicable  light  mentioned  in  the  report 
of  several  captains.  This  magnificent  irradiation  must  have 
been  produced  by  an  agent  of  great  shining  power.  The  lumi¬ 
nous  part  traced  on  the  sea  an  immense  oval,  much  elongated, 
the  center  of  which  condensed  a  burning  heat,  whose  over¬ 
powering  brilliancy  died  out  by  successive  gradations. 

“It  is  only  an  agglomeration  of  phosphoric  particles,”  cried 
one  of  the  officers. 

“  No,  sir,  certainly  not,”  I  replied.  “  Never  did  pholades  or 
salpse  produce  such  a  powerful  light.  That  brightness  is  of  an 
essentially  electrical  nature.  Besides,  see,  see !  it  moves  ;  it  is 
moving  forwards,  backwards,  it  is  darting  towards  us  !  ” 

A  general  cry  arose  from  the  frigate. 

“  Silence !  ”  said  the  captain  ;  “  up  with  the  helm,  reverse  the 
engines.” 


40  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

The  steam  was  shut  off,  and  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  beating  to 
port,  described  a  semicircle. 

“  Right  the  helm,  go  ahead,”  cried  the  captain. 

Tliese  orders  were  executed,  and  the  frigate  moved  rapidlj 
from  the  burning  light. 

I  was  mistaken.  She  tried  to  sheer  off,  but  the  supernatural 
animal  approached  with  a  velocity  double  her  own. 

We  gasped  for  breath.  Stupefaction  more  than  fear  mad©  us 
dumb  and  motionless.  Tire  animal  gained  on  us,  sporting  with 
the  wa^es.  It  made  the  round  of  the  frigate,  which  was  then 
making  fourteen  knots,  and  enveloped  it  with  its  electric  rings 
like  luminous  dust.  Then  it  moved  away  two  or  tliree  miles, 
leaving  a  phosphorescent  track,  lilte  those  volumes  of  steam  that 
the  express  trains  leave  behind.  All  at  once  from  the  dark  line 
of  the  horizon  whither  it  retired  to  gain  its  momentum,  the 
monster  rushed  suddenly  towards  the  Abraham  Lincohi  with 
alarming  rapidity,  stopped  suddenly  about  twenty  feet  from  the 
hull,  and  died  out,  —  not  diving  under  the  water,  for  its  bril¬ 
liancy  did  not  abate,  —  but  suddenly,  and  as  if  the  source  of  this 
brilliant  emanation  was  exhausted.  Then  it  reappeared  on  the 
other  side  of  the  vessel,  as  if  it  liad  turned  and  slid  under  the 
hull.  Any  moment  a  colli  uon  might  have  occurred  which  would 
have  been  fatal  to  us.  However,  I  was  astonished  at  the  man¬ 
oeuvres  of  the  frigate.  She  fled  and  did  not  attack. 

On  the  captain’s  face,  generally  so  impassive,  was  an  expres¬ 
sion  of  unaccountable  astonishment. 

“Mr.  Ai'onnax,”  he  sc.id,  “I  do  not  know  with  what  formid¬ 
able  being  I  have  to  deal,  and  I  will  not  imprudently  risk  my 
frigate  in  the  midst  of  this  darkness.  Besides,  how  attack  this 
unknown  thing,  how  defend  one’s  self  from  it  ?  Wait  for  daylight, 
and  the  scene  will  change.” 

‘  You  have  no  fmdher  doubt,  Captain,  of  the  nature  of  the 
animal  ?  ” 

“  No,  sir  ;  it  is  evidently  a  gigantic  narwhal,  and  an  eiectric 
one. 

“Perhaps,”  added  I,  “one  can  only  approach  it  with  a  gym- 
notus  or  a  torpedo.” 

“  Undoubtedly,”  replied  the  captain,  “  if  it  possesses  such  dread- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  41 


fill  power,  it  is  tRe  most  terrible  animal  that  ever  was  created. 
That  is  why,  sir,  I  must  be  on  my  guard. 

The  crew  were  on  their  feet  all  night.  No  one  thought  of 
sleep.  The  Abraham  Lincoln,  not  being  able  to  struggle  with 
such  velocity,  had  moderated  its  pace,  and  sailed  at  half  speed. 
For  its  part,  the  narwhal,  imitating  the  frigate,  let.  the  waves 
rock  it  at  will,  and  seemed  decided  not  to  leave  the  scene  of  the 
struggle.  Towards  midnight,  however,  it  disappeared,  or,  to  us© 
a  more  appropriate  term,  it  “  died  out  ”  hke  a  large  glow-worm. 
Had  it  fled  ?  One  could  only  fear,  not  hope  it.  But  at  seven 
minutes  to  one  o’clock  in  the  morning  a  deafening  whistling  was 
heard,  like  that  produced  by  a  body  of  water  rushing  with  great 
violence. 

The  captain,  Ned  Land,  and  I  were  then  on  the  poop,  eagerly 
peering  through  the  profound  darkness. 

“Ned  Land,”  asked  the  commander,  “you  have  often  heard 
the  roaring  of  whales  ?  ” 

“Often,  sir  ;  but  never  such  whales  the  sight  of  which  brought 
me  in  two  thousand  dollars.  If  I  can  only  approach  within  four 
harpoon  lengths  of  it !  ” 

“But  to  approach  it,”  said  the  conunander,  “I  ought  to  put  a 
whaler  at  your  disposal  ?  ” 

“  Certainly,  sir.” 

“  That  will  be  trifling  with  the  lives  of  my  men.” 

“  And  mine  too,”  simply  said  the  harpooner. 

Towards  two  o’clock  in  the  morning,  the  burning  hght  reap¬ 
peared,  not  less  intense,  about  five  miles  to  windward  of  the 
Abraham  Lincoln.  Nothwithstnnding  the  distance,  and  the 
noise  of  the  wind  and  sea,  one  heard  distinctly  the  loud  strokes 
of  the  animal’s  tail,  and  even  its  panting  breath..  It  seemed 
that,  at  the  moment  that  the  enormous  narwhal  had  come  to 
take  breath  at  the  surface  of  the  water,  the  air  was  ingulfed  in 
its  lungs,  hke  the  steam  in  the  vast  cyhnders  of  a  machine  of 
two  thousand  horse-power. 

“  Hum !  ”  thought  I,  “  a  whale  with  the  strength  of  a  cavalry 
regiment  would  be  a  pretty  whale  !  ” 

We  were  on  the  qui  nve  till  daylight,  and  prepared  for  the 
combat.  The  fishing  implements  were  laid  along  the  hammock 


42  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

nettings.  The  second  lieutenant  loaded  the  blunderhusses, 
^ich  could  throw  harpoons  to  the  distance  of  a  mile,  and  long 
duck-guns,  with  explosive  bullets,!  which  inflicted  mortal  wounds 
even  to  the  most  terrible  animals.  Ned  Land  contented  himself 
with  sharpening  his  harpoon,  —  a  terrible  weapon  in  his  hands. 

At  six  o’clock,  day  began  to  break;  and  with  the  first  glimmer 
of  light,  the  electric  light  of  the  narwhal  disappeared.  At  seven 
o’clock  the  day  was  sufficiently  advanced,  but  a  very  thick  sear 
fog  obscured  our  view,  and  the  best  spy-glasses  could  not  pierce 
it.  That  caused  disappointment  and  anger. 

I  climbed  the  mlzzen-mast.  Some  officers  were  already  perched 
on  the  mast-heads.  At  eight  o’clock  the  fog  lay  heavily  on  the 
waves,  and  its  thick  scrolls  rose  little  by  little.  The  horizon  grew 
wider  and  clearer  at  the  same  time.  Suddenly,  just  as  on  tbe 
day  before,  Ned  Land’s  voice  was  heard: — 

“The  thing  itself  on  the  port  quarter  1  ”  cried  the  harpooner. 

Every  eye  was  turned  towaids  the  point  indicated.  There,  a 
nflle  and  a  half  from  the  frigate,  a  long  blackish  body  emerged 
a  yard  above  the  waves.  Its  tail,  violently  agitated,  produced  a 
considerable  eddy.  Never  did  a  caudal  appendage  beat  the  sea 
with  such  violence.  An  immense  track,  of  a  dazzling  whiteness, 
marked  the  passage  of  the  animal,  and  described  a  long  curve. 

The  frigate  approached  the  cetacean.  I  examined  it  thor¬ 
oughly. 

The  reports  of  the  Shannon  and  of  the  Felretia  had  rather  ex¬ 
aggerated  its  size,  and  I  estimated  its  length  at  only  two  hun¬ 
dred  and  fifty  feet.  As  to  its  dimensions,  I  could  only  conjecture 
them  to  be  admirably  proportioned.  While  I  watched  this 
phenomenon,  two  jets  of  steam  and  water  were  ejected  from 
its  vents,  and  rose  to  the  height  of  120  feet;  thus  I  ascertained 
its  way  of  breathing.  I  concluded  definitely  that  it  belonged  to 
the  vertebrate  branch,  class  mammalia. 

The  crew  waited  impatiently  for  their  chiefs  orders.  The 
latter,  rfter  having  obzorved  the  animal  attentively,  called  the 
engineer.  Thu  engineer  ran  to  him. 

“  Sir,”  said  the  commander,  “  you  have  steam  up  ?  ” 

“Yes,  sir,”  ansv/ered  the  engineer. 

“Well,  make  up  your  fires  and  put  on  all  steam.” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  43 


Three  huiTahs  greeted  this  order.  The  time  for  the  struggle 
had  arrived.  Some  moments  after,  the  two  funnels  of  the  frigate 
vomited  torrents  of  black  smoke,  and  the  bridge  quaked  under 
the  trembling  of  the  boilers. 

The  Abraham  Lincoln,  propelled  by  her  powerful  screw,  went 
straight  at  the  animal.  The  latter  allowed  it  to  come  within 
half  a  cable’s  length;  then,  as  if  disdaining  to  dive,  it  took  a  little 
turn,  and  stopped  a  short  distance  oif. 

This  pursuit  lasted  nearly  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  without 
the  frigate  gaining  two  yards  on  the  cetacean.  It  w^as  quite 
evident  that  at  that  rate  we  should  never  come  up  with  it. 

“  Well,  Mr.  Land,”  asked  the  captain,  “  do  you  advise  me  to 
put  the  boats  out  to  sea?  ” 

“No,  sir,”  replied  Ned  Land;  “because  we  shall  not  take  that 
beast  easily.” 

“What  shall  we  do  then?” 

“Put  on  more  steam  if  you  can,  sir.  With  your  leave,  I  mean 
to  post  myself  mider  the  bowsprit,  and  if  we  get  within  harpoon¬ 
ing  distance,  I  shall  throw  my  harpoon.” 

“Go,  Ned,”  said  the  captain. — “Engineer,  put  on  more  press¬ 
ure.” 

Ned  Land  went  to  his  post.  The  fires  were  increased,  the 
screw  revolved  forty-three  times  a  minute,  and  the  steam  poured 
out  of  the  valves.  We  heaved  the  log,  and  calculated  that  the 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  going  at  the  rate  of  18X  miles  an  hour. 

But  the  accursed  animal  swam  too  at  the  rate  of  18X  niiles. 

I'or  a  whole  hour,  the  frigate  kept  up  this  pace,  without  gain¬ 
ing  six  feet.  It  was  humiliating  for  one  of  the  swiftest  sailers 
in  the  American  navy.  A  stubbom  anger  seized  the  crew^;  the 
sailors  abused  the  monster,  who,  as  before,  disdained  to  answer 
them ;  the  captain  no  longer  contented  himself  with  twisting 
his  beard,— he  gnawed  it. 

The  engineer  was  again  called. 

“You  have  turned  full  steam  on?” 

“Yes,  sir,”  replied  the  engineer.* 

The  speed  of  the  Abraham  Ilncoln  increased.  Its  masts  trem¬ 
bled  down  to  their  stepping-holes,  and  the  clouds  of  smoke  ^ould 
hardly  find  way  out  of  the  narrow  funnels. 


44  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

They  heaved  the  loj?  a  second  time. 

“Well?”  asked  the  captain  of  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

“  Nineteen  miles  and  three  tenths,  sir.” 

“  Clap  on  more  steam.” 

The  engineer  obeyed.  The  manometer  showed  ten  degrees. 
But  the  cetacean  grew  warm  itself,  no  doubt;  for,  without 
straining  itself,  it  made  miles. 

What  a  pursuit !  No,  I  can  not  describe  the  emotion  that  vi¬ 
brated  through  me.  Ned  Land  kept  his  post,  harpoon  in  hand. 
Several  times  the  animal  let  us  gain  upon  it.  “  We  shall  catch 
it !  we  shall  catch  it !  ”  cried  the  Canadian.  But  just  as  he  was 
going  to  strike,  the  cetacean  stole  away  with  a  rapidity  that 
could  not  be  estimated  at  less  than  thirty  miles  an  hour,  and 
even  dming  our  maximum  of  speed  it  bullied  the  frigate,  going 
round  and  round  it.  *  A  cry  of  fury  broke  from  every  one  I 

At  noon  we  were  no  further  advanced  than  at  eight  o’clock  in 
the  morning. 

The  captam  then  decided  to  take  more  direct  means. 

“  Ah !  ”  said  he,  “  that  animal  goes  quicker  than  the  Abraham 
Lincoln.  Very  well !  we  will  see  whether  it  will  escape  these 
conical  bullets.  Send  your  men  to  the  forecastle,  sir.” 

The  forecastle  gun  was  immediately  loaded  and  slewed  round. 
But  the  shot  passed  some  feet  above  the  cetacean,  which  was 
half  a  mile  off. 

“  Another  more  to  the  right,”  cried  the  commander,  “  and  five 
dollars  to  whoever  will  hit  that  infernal  beast.” 

An  old  gunner,  with  a  gray  beard— that  I  can  see  now— with 
steady  eye  and  grave  face,  went  up  to  the  gun  and  took  a  long 
aim.  A  loud  report  was  heard,  with  which  were  mingled  the 
cheers  of  the  crew. 

The  bullet  did  its  work;  it  hit  the  animal,  but  not  fatally, 
and,  sliding  off  the  rounded  surface,  was  lost  in  two  miles’  depth 
of  sea. 

The  chase  began  again,  and  the  captain,  leaning  towards  me, 
said:— “  I  will  pursue  that  beaft  till  my  frigate  bursts  up.” 

“Yes,’^  answered  I;  “and  you  will  be  quite  right  to  do 
it.” 

I  wished  the  beast  would  exliaust  itself,  and  not  be  insensible 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  45 


to  fatigue,  like  a  steam-engine  I  But  it  was  of  no  use.  Hours 
passed  without  its  showing  any  signs  of  exhaustion. 

However,  it  must  be  said  in  praise  of  the  Abraham  Lincoln, 
that  she  struggled  on  indefatigably.  I  can  not  reckon  the  dis¬ 
tance  she  made  under  three  hundred  miles  durmg  this  unlucky 
day,  November  the  6th.  But  night  came  on,  and  overshadowed 
the  rough  ocean. 

Now  I  thought  our  expedition  was  at  an  end,  and  that  we 
should  never  again  see  tlie  extraordinary  animal.  I  was  mis¬ 
taken.  At  ten  minutes  to  eleven  in  the  evening,  the  electric 
light  reappeared  three  miles  to  Avindward  of  the  frigate,  as  pure, 
as  intense  as  dming  tlie  preceding  night. 

The  narwhal  seemed  motionless;  perhaps,  tired  with  its  day’s 
work,  it  slept,  letting  itself  float  Avith  the  undulation  of  the 
waA'es.  Now  Avas  a  chance  of  Avhich  the  captain  resolved  to  take 
advantage. 

He  gave  his  orders,  Tlie  Abraham  Lincoln  kept  up  half¬ 
steam,  and  advanced  cautiously,  so  as  not  to  awake  its  adversary. 
It  is  no  rare  thing  to  meet  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean  whales  so 
sound  asleep  that  they  can  be  successfully  attacked,  and  Ned 
Land  had  harpooned  more  than  one  during  its  sleep.  The  Can¬ 
adian  went  to  take  his  place  again  under  the  bowsprit. 

The  frigate  approached  noiselessly,  stopped  at  two  cables’ 
length  from  the  animal,  and  followmg  its  track.  No  one 
breathed;  a  deep  silence  reigned  on  the  bridge.  V/e  were  not 
a  hundred  feet  from  the  burning  focus,  the  light  of  which  in¬ 
creased  and  dazzled  our  eyes. 

At  this  moment,  leaning  on  the  forecastle  buhvark,  I  saw  bc- 
loAV  me  Ned  Land  gi'appling  the  martingale  in  one  hand,  bran¬ 
dishing  his  terrible  harpoon  in  the  other,  scarcely  twenty  feet 
from  the  motionless  animal.  Suddenly  his  arm  straightened, 
and  the  harpoon  was  throAvn ;  I  heard  the  sonorous  stroke  of 
the  weapon,  Avhich  seemed  to  have  struck  a  hard  body.  The 
electric  light  went  out  suddenly,  and  two  enormous  waterspouts 
broke  ov^er  the  bridge  of  th  frigate,  rushing  like  a  torrent  fi’om 
stem  to  stern,  overthroAving  men,  and  breaking  the  lashing  of 
the  spars.  A  fearful  shock  followed,  and,  throAvn  over  the  rail 
without  liaAing  time  to  stop  myself,  I  fell  into  the  sea. 

4 


1 


CHAPTER  VIL 

AN  UNKNOWN  SPECIES  OF  WHALE. 

This  unexpected  fall  so  stunned  me  that  I  have  no  cleai  recol 
lection  of  my  sensations  at  the  time.  I  was  at  first  drawn  down 
to  a  depth  of  about  twenty  feet.  I  am  a  good  swimmer  (though 
without  pretending  to  rival  Byron  or  Edgar  Poe,  who  were  mas¬ 
ters  of  the  art),  and  in  that  plunge  I  did  not  lose  my  presence 
of  mind.  Two  vigorous  strokes  brought  me  to  the  surface  of 
the  water.  My  first  care  was  to  look  for  the  frigate.  Had  the 
crew  seen  me  disappear?  Had  the  Abraham  Lincoln  veered 
round?  Would  the  captain  put  out  a  boat?  Might  I  hope  to  be 
saved? 

The  darkness  was  intense.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  black 
mass  disappearing  in  the  east,  its  beacon-lights  dying  out  in  the 
distance.  It  was  the  frigate  I  I  was  lost. 

“  Help,  help  I  ”  I  shouted,  swimming  towards  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  in  desperation. 

My  clothes  encumbered  me;  they  seemed  glued  to  my  body, 
and  paralyzed  my  movements. 

I  was  sinking  I  I  was  suflocatingl 

“IlelpI” 

This  was  my  last  cry.  My  mouth  filled  with  water;  I  struggled 
against  being  drawn  down  the  abyss.  Suddenly  my  clothes 
vere  seized  by  a  strong  ’  nd,  and  I  felt  myself  quickly  drawn 
jp  to  the  surface  of  the  sea;  and  I  heard,  yes,  I  heard  these 
words  pronounced  in  my  ear:— 

“  If  master  would  be  so  good  as  to  lean  on  my  shoulder,  master 
would  swdm  with  much  greater  ease.” 

I  seized  with  one  hand  my  faithful  Conseil’s  arm. 

“Is  it  you?’’  said  L  “vcu?” 


46 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


47 


“Myself,”  answered  Conseil;  “and  waiting  master’s  orders.” 

“That  shock  thr  \  y  u  as  well  as  me  into  the  sea?” 

“No;  but  be'  master’s  service,  I  followed  him.” 

The  worthy  thought  that  was  but  natural. 

“And  the  frigate?”  asked. 

“The  frigate?’’  replied  Conseil,  turning  on  his  back;  “I  think 
ihat  master  had  better  not  count  too  much  on  her.” 

“  You  think  so?” 

“I  say  that,  at  the  time  I  threw  myself  into  the  sea,  I  heard  the 
men  at  the  wheel  say,  ‘  The  screw  and  the  rudder  are  broken.’  ” 

“Broken?” 

“Yes,  broken  by  the  monster’s  teeth.  It  is  the  only  injury  the 
4braham  Lincoln  has  sustained.  But  it  is  a  bad  lookout  for  us, 
—she  no  longer  answers  her  helm.” 

“Then  we  are  lost!” 

“  Perhaps  so,”  calmly  answered  Conseil.  “  However,  we  have 
still  several  hours  before  us,  and  one  can  do  a  good  dealm  some 
hours.” 

Conseil’s  imperturbable  coolness  set  me  up  again.  I  swam 
more  vigorously;  but,  cramped  by  my  clothes,  which  stuck  to 
me  hke  a  leaden  weight,  I  felt  great  difficulty  in  bearing  up. 
Conseil  saw  this. 

“  Will  master  let  me  make  a  slit?”  said  he;  and  slipping  an 
open  knife  under  my  clothes,  he  ripped  them  up  from  top  to 
bottom  very  rapidly.  Then  he  cleverly  slipped  them  off  me^ 
while  I  swam  for  both  of  us. 

Then  I  did  the  same  for  Conseil,  and  we  continued  to  swim 
near  to  each  other. 

Nevertheless,  our  situation  was  no  less  terrible.  Perhaps  our 
disappearance  had  not  been  noticed;  and  if  it  had  been,  the  frig- 
a"  i  could  not  tack,  being  without  its  helm.  Conseil  argued  on  this 
supposition,  an  his  plans  accordingly.  This  phlegmatic 
buy  was  perfectly  self-possessed.  We  then  decided  that,  as  our 
only  chance  of  safety  was  being  picked  up  by  the  Abraham 
Lincoln’s  boats,  we  ought  to  manage  so  as  to  wait  for  them  as 
long  as  possible.  I  resolved  then  to  husband  our  strength,  so 
that  both  should  not  be  exhausted  at  the  same  time;  and  this  is 
how  we  managed;  while  one  of  us  lay  on  our  back,  quite  still, 


45  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

with  arms  crossed,  and  legs  stretched  out,  the  other  would  swim 
and  push  the  other  on  in  front.  This  towing  busincii  uid  not 
last  more  than  ten  minutes  each;  and  relieving  each  other  thus, 
we  could  swim  on  for  some  hours,  perhaps  till  daybreak.  Poor 
chancel  but  hope  is  so  firmly  rooted  in  the  heart  of  man!  More¬ 
over,  there  were  two  of  us.  Indeed  I  declare  (though  it  may 
seem  improbable)  if  I  sought  to  destroy  all  hope,  if  I  wished  to 
despair,  I  could  not. 

The  collision  of  the  frigate  with  the  cetacean  had  occurred 
about  eleven  o’clock  the  evening  before.  I  reckoned  then  we 
should  have  eight  hours  to  swim  before  sunrise,— an  operation 
quite  practicable  if  we  relieved  each  other.  The  sea,  very  calm, 
was  in  our  favor.  Sometimes  I  tried  to  pierce  the  intense  dark¬ 
ness  that  was  only  dispelled  by  the  phosphorescence  caused  by 
our  movements.  I  watched  the  luminous  waves  that  broke  over 
my  hand,  whose  mirror-like  surface  was  spotted  with  silvery 
rings.  One  might  have  said  that  we  were  in  a  bath  of  quick¬ 
silver. 

Near  one  o’clock  in  the  morning,  I  was  seized  with  dreadful 
fatigue.  My  limbs  stiffened  under  the  strain  of  violent  cramp. 
Conseil  was  obliged  to  keep  me  up,  and  our  preservation  de¬ 
volved  on  him  alone.  I  heard  the  poor  boy  pant;  his  breathing 
came  short  and  hurried.  I  found  that  he  could  not  keep  up 
much  longer. 

“  Leave  me !  leave  me !”  I  said  to  him. 

“Leave  my  master?  never!”  replied  he.  “Iwoulddroww 
first.” 

Just  then  the  moon  appeared  through  the  >  . 

cloud  that  the  was  driving  to  tut  eaci  ’  uc  t  arf&ce  of  the 
sea  — ..CO.  *L  i  iiS  jcmoiy  light  reanimated  US.  My 

g-N:)  Dcttcr  again.  I  looked  at  all  the  points  of  the  horizon. 
I  saw  the  frigate !  She  was  five  miles  from  us,  and  looked  like 
a  dark  mass,  hardly  discernible.  But  no  boats ! 

I  would  have  cried  out.  But  what  good  would  it  have  been  at 
such  a  distance !  My  swollen  lips  could  utter  no  sounds.  Conseil 
could  articulate  some  words,  and  I  heard  him  repeat  at  inter¬ 
vals,  “Help !  help 

'''iii  movements  were  •’usuendec  ;*oi  an  'nstairt'  we  listened. 


TWENTY  TnOUSAND  LEAGUES  irNDER  THE  SEAS.  49 


It  might  be  only  a  singing  in  the  ear,  but  it  seemed  to  me  as  if 
a  cry  answered  the  cry  from  ConseiL 

“  Did  you  hear  ?  ”  I  murmured. 

“  Yes  !  j"es  !  ” 

And  Conseil  gave  one  more  despairing  call. 

This  time  there  was  no  mistake  !  A  human  voice  responded 
to  ours !  Was  it  the  voice  of  another  unfortunate  creature, 
abandoned  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean,  some  other  victim  of  the 
shock  sustained  by  the  vessel  ?  Or  rather  was  it  a  boat  from 
the  frigate,  that  w^as  hailing  us  in  the  darkness  ? 

Conseil  made  a  last  effort,  and  leaning  on  my  shoulder,  while 
I  struck  out  in  a  despairing  effort,  he  raised  liimself  half  out  of 
the  water,  then  fell  back  exhausted. 

“  What  did  you  see  ?  ” 

“I  saw,”  murmured  he, — “I  saw— but  do  rot  talk — reserve  all 
your  strength !  ” 

What  had  he  seen  ?  Then,  I  know  not  why,  the  thought  of 
the  monster  came  into  my  head  for  the  fu'st  time  !  But  that 
voice  ?  The  time  is  past  for  Jonahs  to  take  refuge  in  whales* 
bellies !  However,  Conseil  was  towing  me  again.  He  raised 
his  head  sometimes,  looked  before  us,  and  uttered  a  cry  of  rec¬ 
ognition,  which  was  responded  to  by  a  voice  that  came  nearer 
and  nearer.  I  scarcely  heard  it.  My  strength  was  exhausted; 
my  fingers  stiffened;  my  hand  afforded  me  support  no  longer; 
my  mouth,  convulsively  opening,  filled  with  salt  water.  Cold, 
crept  over  me.  I  raised  my  head  for  the  last  time,  then  I 
sank. 

At  this  moment  a  hard  body  struck  me.  I  clung  to  it:  then  I 
felt  that  I  was  being  drawn  up,  that  I  was  brought  to  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  water,  that  my  chest  collapsed:  I  fainted. 

It  is  certain  that  I  soon  came  to,  thanks  to  the  vigorous  rub¬ 
bings  that  I  received.  I  half  opened  my  eyes. 

“Conseil !”  I  murmured. 

“  Does  master  call  me  ?  ”  asked  Conseil. 

Just  then,  by  the  waning  light  of  the  moon,  which  was  sink¬ 
ing  down  to  the  horizon,  I  saw  a  face  which  was  not  Conseil’s, 
and  which  I  immediately  recognized. 

“Ned!”  I  cried. 


50  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“The  same,  sir,  who  is  seeking  his  prize!”  replied  the 
Canadian. 

“  Were  you  thrown  into  the  sea  by  the  shock  of  the  frigate  ?  ” 

“Yes,  Professor;  but  more  fortunate  than  you,  I  was  able  to 
find  a  footing  ahnost  directly  upon  a  floating  island.” 

“  An  island  ?  ” 

“  Or,  more  correctly  speaking,  on  our  gigantic  narwhal” 

“  Explain  yourself,  Ned  1  ” 

“  Only  I  soon  found  out  why  my  harpoon  had  not  entered  its 
skin  and  was  blunted.” 

“Why,  Ned,  why?” 

“  Because,  Professor,  that  beast  is  made  of  sheet-iron.” 

The  Canadian’s  last  words  produced  a  sudden  revolution  in 
my  brain.  I  wriggled  myself  quickly  to  the  top  of  the  being,  or 
object,  half  out  of  the  water,  which  served  us  for  a  refuge.  I 
kicked  it.  It  was  evidently  a  hard,  impenetrable  body,  and  not 
the  substance  that  forms  the  bodies  of  the  great  marine  mam¬ 
malia.  But  this  hard  body  might  be  a  bony  carapace,  like  that 
of  the  antediluvian  animals;  and  I  should  be  free  to  class  this 
monster  among  amphibious  reptiles,  such  as  tortoises  or  alli¬ 
gators. 

Well,  no  I  the  blackish  back  that  supported  me  was  smooth, 
polished,  without  scales.  The  blow  produced  a  metallic  sound; 
and  incredible  though  it  may  be,  it  seemed,  I  might  say,  as  if  it 
was  made  of  riveted  plates. 

There  was  no  doubt  about  it !  this  monster,  this  natural 
phenomenon  that  had  puzzled  the  learned  world,  and  overthrown 
and  misled  the  imagination  of  seamen  of  both  hemispheres,  was, 
it  must  be  owned,  a  still  more  astonishing  phenomenon,  inas 
much  as  it  was  a  simply  human  construction. 

We  had  no  time  to  lose,  however.  We  were  lying  upon 
the  back  of  a  sort  of  submarine  boat,  which  appeared  (as  far 
as  I  could  judge)  like  a  huge  fish  of  steel.  Ned  Land’s  mind 
was  made  up  on  this  point.  ConseU  and  I  could  only  agree 
with  him. 

Just  then  a  bubbling  began  at  the  back  of  this  strange  thing 
(which  was  evidently  propelled  by  a  screw),  and  it  began  to 
move.  We  had  oifly  just  time  to  seize  hold  of  the  upper  part, 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  51 


which  rose  about  seven  feet  out  of  the  water,  and  happily  its 
speed  was  not  great. 

“As  long  as  it  sails  horizontally,”  muttered  Ned  Land,  “I  do 
not  mind ;  but  if  it  takes  a  fancy  to  dive,  I  would  not  give  two 
straws  for  my  life.” 

The  Canadian  might  have  said  still  less.  It  became  really 
necessary  to  communicate  with  the  beings,  whatever  they  were, 
shut  up  inside  the  machine.  I  searched  all  over  the  outside  for 
an  aperture,  a  panel,  or  a  man-hole,  to  use  a  technical  expres¬ 
sion;  but  the  lines  of  the  iron  rivets,  solidly  driven  into  tlie  joints 
of  the  iron  plates,  were  clear  and  uniform.  Besides,  the  moon 
disappeared  then,  and  left  us  in  total  darkness. 

At  last  this  long  night  passed.  My  indistinct  remembrance 
prevents  my  describing  all  the  impressions  it  made.  I  can  only 
recall  one  circumstance.  During  some  lulls  of  the  wind  and 
sea,  I  fancied  I  heard  several  times  vague  sounds,  a  sort  of  fu¬ 
gitive  harmony  produced  by  distant  wDrds  of  command.  What 
was  then  the  mystery  of  this  submarine  craft  of  wliich  the 
whole  world  vainly  sought  an  explanation?  What  kind  of 
being .  existed  in  this  strange  boat  ?  What  mechanical  agent 
caused  its  prodigious  speed  ? 

Daybreak  appeared.  The  morning  mists  surrounded  us,  but 
thf'y  soon  cleared  off.  I  was  about  to  examine  the  hull,  which 
formed  on  deck  a  kind  of  horizontal  platform,  when  I  felt  it 
gradually  sinking. 

“  0,  confound  it !  ”  cried  Ned  Land,  kicking  the  resounding 
plate ;  “  open,  you  inhospitable  rascals  !  ” 

Happily  the  sinking  movement  ceased.  Suddenly  a  noise, 
like  iron  works  violently  pushed  aside,  came  from  the  interior 
of  the  boat.  One  iron  plate  was  moved,  a  man  appeared, 
uttered  an  odd  cry,  and  disappeared  immediately. 

Some  moments  after,  eight  strong  men  with  masked  faces 
appeared  noiselessly,  and  drew  us  down  into  their  formidable 
machine. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


MOBILIS  IN  MOBm. 

This  forcible  abduction,  so  roughly  carried  out,  was  accoui- 
plished  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  I  shivered  all  over. 
Whom  had  we  to  deal  with  ?  No  doubt  some  new  sort  of 
pirates,  who  explored  the  sea  in  their  own  way. 

Hardly  had  the  narrow  panel  closed  upon  me,  when  I  was 
enveloped  in  darlmess.  My  eyes,  dazzled  with  the  outer  light, 
could  distinguish  nothiag.  I  felt  my  naked  feet  cling  to  the 
rings  of  an  iron  ladder.  Ned  Land  and  Conseil,  firmly  seized, 
followed  me.  At  the  bottom  of  the  ladder,  a  door  opened,  and 
shut  after  us  immediately  with  a  bang. 

We  were  alone.  Where,  I  could  not  say,  hardly  imagine.  All 
was  black,  and  such  a  dense  black  that,  after  some  minutes,  n)y 
eyes  had  not  been  able  to  discern  even  the  fahitest  glimmer. 

Meanwhile,  Ned  Land,  furious  at  these  proceedings,  gave  free 
vent  to  his  indignation. 

“  Confound  it !  ”  cried  he,  “  here  are  people  who  come  up  to 
the  Scotch  for  hospitality.  They  only  just  miss  being  canni¬ 
bals.  I  should  not  be  surprised  at  it,  but  I  declare  that  they 
shall  not  eat  me  without  my  protesting.” 

“Calm  yourself,  friend  Ned,  calm  yourself,”  replied  Conseil, 
quietly.  “Do  not  cry  out  before  you  are  hurt.  We  are  not 
quite  done  for  yet.” 

“Not  quite,”  sharply  replied  the  Canadian,  “but  pretty  near, 
at  all  events.  Things  look  black.  Happily  my  bowie-knife  I 
have  still,  and  I  can  always  see  well  enough  to  use  it.  The 
first  of  these  pirates  who  lays  a  hand  on  me — ” 

“Do  not  excite  yourself,  Ned,”  I  said  to  the  harpooner,  “and 
do  not  compromise  us  by  useless  violence.  Who  knows  that 

52 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


53 


they  will  not  listen  to  us  ?  Let  us  rather  try  to  find  out  where 
we  are.” 

I  groped  about.  In  five  steps  I  came  to  an  iron  wall,  made 
of  plates  bolted  together.  Then  turning  back  I  struck  against 
a  wooden  table,  near  which  were  ranged  several  stools.  The 
boards  of  this  prison  were  concealed  under  a  thick  mat  of 
phormium,  which  Leadened  the  noise  of  the  feet.  The  bare 
walls  revealed  no  trace  of  window  or  door.  Conseil,  going 
round  the  reverse  way,  met  me,  and  we  went  back  to  the  mid¬ 
dle  of  the  cabin,  which  measured  about  twenty  feet  by  ten.  As 
to  its  height,  Ned  Land,  in  spite  of  his  own  great  height,  could 
not  measure  it. 

Half  an  hour  had  already  passed  without  our  situation  being 
bettered,  when  the  dense  darkness  suddenly  gave  way  to  ex¬ 
treme  light.  Our  prison  was  suddenly  lighted,  that  is  to  say,  it 
became  filled  with  a  luminous  matter,  so  strong  that  I  could  not 
bear  it  at  first.  In  its  whiteness  and  intensity  I  recognized  that 
electric  light  which  played  round  the  submarine  boat  like  a 
magnificent  phenomenon  of  phosphorescence.  After  shutting 
my  eyes  involuntarily,  I  opened  them  and  saw  that  this  lumi¬ 
nous  agent  came  from  a  half-globe,  unpolished,  placed  in  the 
roof  of  the  cabin. 

“At  last  one  can  see,”  cried  Ned  Land,  who,  knife  in  hand, 
stood  on  the  defensive. 

“  Yes,”  said  I ;  “  but  we  are  still  in  the  dark  about  ourselves.” 

“Let  master  have  patience,”  said  the  imperturbable  Conseil. 

The  sudden  lighting  of  the  cabin  enabled  us  to  examine  it 
minutely.  It  only  contained  a  table  and  five  stools.  The  invisi¬ 
ble  door  might  be  hermetically  sealed.  No  noise  was  heard. 
All  seemed  dead  in  the  interior  of  this  boat.  Did  it  move,  did 
it  float  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  or  did  it  dive  into  its  depths  ? 
I  could  not  guess. 

A  noise  of  bolts  was  now  heard,  the  door  opened,  and  two 
men  appeared. 

One  was  short,  very  muscular,  broad-shouldered,  with  robust 
limbs,  strong  head,  an  abundance  of  black  hair,  thick  mus¬ 
tache,  a  quick  penetrating  look,  and  the  vivacity  which  charao- 
terizes  the  population  of  Southern  France. 


54  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


The  second  stranger  merits  a  more  detailed  description.  A 
disciple  of  Gratiolet  or  Engel  would  have  read  his  face  like  an 
open  book.  I  made  out  his  prevailing  qualities  directly  :  self- 
confidence, — because  Ills  head  was  well  set  on  Ids  shoulders,  and 
his  black  eyes  looked  around  with  cold  assurance  ;  calmness,  — 
for  liis  skin,  rather  pale,  showed  his  coolness  of  blood  ;  energy, 
—  evinced  by  the  rapid  contraction  of  his  lofty  brows  ;  and  cour¬ 
age, — because  his  deep  breathing  denoted  great  power  of  lungs, 

^\Tiether  this  person  was  tliirty-five  or  fifty  years  of  age,  I  could 
not  say.  He  was  taU,  had  a  large  forehead,  straight  nose,  a  clearly 
cut  mouth,  beautiful  teeth,  with  fine  taper  hands,  indicative  of 
a  highly  nervous  temperament.  This  man  was  certainly  the 
most  admirable  specimen  I  had  ever  met.  One  particular  feat¬ 
ure  was  his  eyes,  rather  far  from  each  other,  and  wliich  could 
take  in  nearly  a  quarter  of  the  horizon  at  once. 

This  faculty — (I  verified  it  later) — gave  him  a  range  of  vision 
far  superior  to  Ned  Land’s.  Wlien  this  stranger  fixed  upon  an 
object,  his  eyebrows  met,  his  large  eyelids  closed  aroimd  so  as  to 
contract  the  range  of  his  vision,  and  he  looked  as  if  he  magnified 
the  objects  lessened  by  distance,  as  if  he  pierced  those  sheets  cf 
water  so  opaque  to  our  eyes,  and  as  if  he  read  the  very  depths 
of  the  seas. 

The  two  strangers,  with  caps  made  from  the  fur  of  the  sea 
otter  and  shod  with  sea  bools  of  seals’  skin,  'were  dressed  in 
clothes  of  a  particular  texture,  which  allowed  free  movement  f 
the  limbs.  The  taller  of  the  two,  evidently  the  chief  on  boa-  \ 
examined  us  with  great  attention,  without  saying  a  v/ord:  then 
turning  to  his  companion,  talked  with  him  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  It  was  a  sonorous,  harmonious,  and  flexible  dialect,  the 
vowels  seeming  to  admit  of  very  varied  accentuation. 

The  other  replied  by  a  shake  of  the  head,  and  added  two  or 
tluree  perfectly  incomprehensible  w'ords.  Then  he  seemed  to 
question  me  by  a  look. 

I  replied  in  good  French  that  I  did  not  know  his  language; 
but  he  seemed  not  to  understand  me,  and  my  situation  became 
more  embarrassing. 

“  If  master  were  to  tell  our  story,”  said  Conseil,  “  perhaps  thes» 
gentlemen  may  understand  some  w'ords.^’ 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  55 


I  began  to  tell  our  adventures,  articulating  each  syllable  clearly, 
and  without  omitting  one  single  detail.  I  announced  our  names 
and  rank,  introducing  in  person  Professor  Aronnax,  his  servant 
Conseil,  and  Master  Ned  Land,  the  harpooner. 

The  man  with  the  soft  calm  eyes  listened  to  me  quietly, 
even  politely,  and  with  extreme  attention;  but  nothing  in  his 
countenance  indicated  that  he  understood  my  story.  When  I 
finished  he  said  not  a  word. 

There  remained  one  resource,  to  speak  English.  Perhaps  they 
would  know  this  almost  universal  language.  I  knew  it,  as  well 
as  the  German  language,— well  enough  to  read  it  fiuently,  but 
not  to  speak  it  correctly.  But,  anyhow,  we  must  make  ourselves 
understood. 

“Go  on  in  your  turn,”  I  said  to  the  harpooner;  “speak  your 
best  Anglo-Saxon,  and  try4/0  do  better  than  I.” 

Ned  did  not  beg  off,  and  recommenced  our  story. 

To  his  great  disgust,  the  harpooner  did  not  seem  to  have 
made  himself  more  intelligible  than  I  had.  Our  visitors  did 
not  stir.  They  evidently  understood  neither  the  language  of 
Arago  nor  of  Faraday. 

Very  much  embarrassed,  after  having  vainly  exhausted  our 
philological  resources,  I  knew  not  what  part  to  take,  when 
Conseil  said, — 

“  If  master  will  permit  me,  I  will  relate  it  in  German.” 

But  in  spite  of  the  elegant  turns  and  good  accent  of  the 
narrator,  the  German  language  had  no  success.  At  last,  non¬ 
plussed,  I  tried  to  remember  my  first  lessons,  and  to  narrate 
our  adventures  in  Latin,  but  with  no  better  success.  This  last 
attempt  being  of  no  a^^ail,  the  two  strangers  exchanged  some 
words  in  their  unknown  language,  and  retired.  The  door  shut. 

“  It  is  an  infamous  shame,” .  cried  Ned  Land,  who  broke 
out  for  the  twentieth  time;  “we  speak  to  those  rogues  in 
French,  English,  German  and  Latin,  and  not  one  of  them  has 
the  politeness  to  answer !  ” 

“  Calm  yourself,”  I  said  to  the  impetuous  Ned,  “  anger  will 
do  no  good.” 

“  But  do  you  see.  Professor,”  replied  our  irascible  companion, 
“that  we  shall  absolutely  die  of  hunger  L*  this  iron  cage?” 


58  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“Bah,”  said  Conseil  philosophically;  “we  can  hold  out  some 
time  yet.” 

“My  friends,”  I  said,  “  we  must  not  despair.  We  have  been 
worse  off  than  this.  Do  me  the  favor  to  wait  a  little  before  form¬ 
ing  an  opinion  upon  the  commander  and  crew  of  this  boat.” 

“  My  opinion  is  formed,”  rephed  Ned  Land,  sharply.  “  They 
are  rascals.” 

“Good !  and  from  what  country?” 

“  From  the  land  of  rogues  !  ” 

“  My  brave  Ned,  that  country  is  not  clearly  indicated  on  the 
map  of  the  world;  but  I  admit  that  the  nationality  of  the  two 
strangers  is  hard  to  determine.  Neither  English,  French,  nor 
German,  that  is  quite  certain.  However,  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  the  commander  and  his  companion  were  born  in  low 
latitudes.  There  is  southern  blood  in  them.  But  I  can  not  decide 
by  their  appearance  whether  they  are  Spaniards,  Turks,  Arabians 
or  Indians.  As  to  their  language,  it  is  quite  incomprehensible.” 

“  There  is  the  disadvantage  of  not  knowing  all  languages,” 
said  Conseil,  “  or  the  disadvantage  of  not  having  one  universal 
language.” 

As  he  said  these  words,  the  door  opened.  A  steward  entered. 
He  brought  us  clothes,  coats  and  trousers,  made  of  a  stuff  I  did 
not  know.  I  hastened  to  dress  myself,  and  my  companions  fol¬ 
lowed  my  example.  During  that  time,  the  steward — dumb,  per¬ 
haps  deaf — had  arranged  the  table  and  laid  three  plates. 

“  This  is  something  like,”  said  Conseil. 

“  Bah,”  said  the  rancorous  harpooner,  “  what  .do  you  suppose 
they  eat  here  ?  Tortoise  hver,  filleted  shark,  and  beafsteaks 
from  sea-dogs.” 

“  We  shall  see,”  said  Conseil. 

The  dishes,  of  bell-metal,  were  placed  on  the  table,  and  we 
took  our  places.  Undoubtedly  we  had  to  do  with  civilized  people, 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  electric  Ught  which  flooded  us,  i 
could  have  fancied  I  was  in  the  dining-room  of  the  Adelphi 
Hotel  at  Liverpool,  or  at  the  Grand  Hotel  in  Paris.  I  must  say, 
however,  that  there  was  neither  bread  nor  wine.  The  water 
was  fresh  and  clear,  but  it  was  water,  and  did  not  suit  Ned 
Land’s  taste.  Amongst  the  dishes  which  were  brought  to  us,  I 


TVvENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  57 


recognized  several  fish  delicately  dressed;  but  of  some,  although 
excellent,  I  could  give  no  opinion,  neither  could  I  tell  to  what 
kingdom  they  belonged,  w'hether  animal  or  vegetable.  As  to  the 
dinner  service,  it  was  elegant,  and  in  perfect  taste.  Each  uten¬ 
sil,  spoon,  fork,  knife,  plate,  had  a  letter  engraved  on  it,  with  a 
motto  above  it,  of  which  this  is  an  exact  fac-simile: 

MOBILIS  IN  MOBILI. 

N. 

The  letter  N  was  no  doubt  the  initial  of  the  name  of  the  enig¬ 
matical  person,  who  commanded  at  the  bottom  of  the  seas. 

Ned  and  Conseii  did  not  reflect  much.  They  devoured  the 
food,  and  I  did  likewise.  I  was,  besides,  reassured  as  to  our 
fate;  and  it  seemed  evident  that  our  hosts  would  not  let  us  die 
of  want. 

However,  every  thing  has  an  end,  every  thing  passes  away,  even 
the  hunger  of  people  who  have  not  eaten  for  fifteen  horns.  Our 
appetites  satisfied,  we  felt  overcome  with  sleep. 

“  Faith !  I  shall  sleep  well,”  said  Conseii. 

“  So  shall  I,”  replied  Ned  Land. 

My  two  companions  stretched  themselves  on  the  cabin  carpet, 
and  were  soon  sound  asleep.  For  my  own  part,  too  many 
’  thoughts  crowded  my  brain,  too  many  insoluble  questions  pressed 
upon  me,  too  many  fancies  kept  my  eyes  half  open.  Where 
were  we?  What  strange  power  carried  us  on?  I  felt — or  rather 
fancied  I  felt — the  machine  sinking  down  to  the  lowest  beds  of 
the  sea.  Dreadful  nightmares  beset  me;  I  saw  in  these  myste¬ 
rious  asylums  a  world  of  unknown  animals,  amongst  which  this 
submarme  boat  seemed  to  be  of  the  came  kind,  living,  moving, 
and  formidable  as  they.  Then  my  brain  grew  calmer,  my  imag¬ 
ination  wandered  into  vague  imconscioJisness.  and  I  soon  tell 
into  a  deep  sleep, 


CHAPTER  IX 


NED  LAND’S  TEMPEUS. 

How  long  we  slept  I  do  not  know  ;  but  our  sleep  must  hare 
lasted  long,  for  it  rested  us  completely  from  our  fatigues.  I 
wok©  first.  My  companions  had  not  moved,  and  were  still 
stretched  in  their  comer. 

Hardly  roused  from  my  somewhat  hard  couch,  I  felt  my  brain 
freed,  my  mind  clear.  I  then  began  an  attentive  examination  of 
our  cell.  Nothing  was  changed  inside.  The  prison  was  still  a 
prison  ;  the  prisoners,  prisoners.  However,  the  steward,  dur¬ 
ing  our  sleep,  had  cleared  the  table.  I  breathed  with  difficulty. 
The  heavy  air  seemed  to  oppress  my  lungs.  Although  the  cell 
was  large,  we  had  evidently  consumed  a  great  part  of  the 
oxygen  that  it  contained.  Indeed,  each  man  consumes,  in  one 
hour,  the  oxygen  contained  in  more  than  176  pints  of  air,  and 
this  air,  charged  (as  then)  with  a  nearly  equal  quantity  of  carbonic 
acid,  becomes  unbreathable. 

It  became  necessary  to  renew  the  atmosphere  of  our  prison, 
and  no  doubt  the  whole  in  the  submarine  boat.  That  gave  rise 
to  a  question  in  my  mind.  How  would  the  commander  of  this 
floating  dwelling-place  proceed  ?  Would  he  obtain  air  by 
chemical  means,  in  getting  by  heat  the  oxygen  contained  in 
chlorate  of  potass,  and  in  absorbing  carbonic  acid  by  caustic 
potash  ?  Or,  a  more  convenient,  economical,  and  consequently 
more  probable  alternative,  would  he  be  satisfied  to  rise  and  take 
breath  at  the  surface  of  the  water,  like  a  cetacean,  and  so  renew 
for  twenty-four  hours  the  atmospheric  provision  ? 

In  fact,  I  was  already  obliged  to  increase  my  respirations  to 
eke  out  of  this  cell  the  little  oxygen  it  contained,  when  sudden¬ 
ly  I  was  refreshed  by  a  current  of  pure  air,  and  perfumed  with 

^58 


Twenty  thousand  leagues  undeE,  the  seas.  o§ 


saline  emanations.  It  was  an  invigorating  sea  breeze,  charged 
with  iodine.  I  opened  my  mouth  wide,  and  my  lungs  saturated 
themselves  with  fresh  particles. 

At  the  same  time  I  felt  the  boat  rolling.  The  iron-plated  mon¬ 
ster  had  evidently  just  risen  to  the  surface  of  the  ocean  to 
breathe,  after  the  fashion  of  whales.  I  found  out  from  that  the 
mode  of  ventilating  the  boat. 

When  I  had  inhaled  this  air  freely,  I  sought  the  conduit-pipe, 
which  conveyed  to  us  the  beneficial  wliiff,  and  I  was  not  long  in 
finding  it.  Above  the  door  was  a  ventilator,  through  which  vol¬ 
umes  of  fresh  air  renewed  the  impoverished  atmosphere  of  the 
ceil. 

1  was  making  my  observations,  when  Ned  and  Conseil  awoke 
almost  at  the  same  time,  under  the  influence  of  this  reviving  air. 
They  rubbed  their  eyes,  stretched  themselves,  and  were  on 
their  feet  in  an  instant. 

“  Did  master  sleep  well  ?”  asked  Conseil,  with  his  usual  polite¬ 
ness. 

“  Very  well,  my  brave  boy.  And  you,  Mr.  Land  ?” 

“  Soundly,  Professor.  But  I  don’t  know  if  I  am  right  or  not ; 
there  seems  to  be  a  sea-breeze  I” 

A  seaman  could  not  be  mistaken,  and  I  told  the  Canadian  aU 
that  had  passed  during  his  sleep. 

“  Good  I”  said  he  ;  “  that  accounts  for  those  roarings  we  heard 
when  the  supposed  narwhal  sighted  the  Abraham  Lincoln.” 

“  Quite  so.  Master  Land  ;  it  was  taking  breath.” 

“  Only,  Mr.  Aronnax,  I  have  no  idea  what  o’clock  it  is,  unless 
it  is  dinner-time.” 

“  Dinner-time  !  my  good  fellow  ?  Say  rather  breakfast-time, 
for  we  cerh  ly  have  begun  another  day.” 

“  So,”  said  Conseil,  “  we  have  slept  twenty-four  hours  ?” 

“  That  is  my  opinion.” 

“  I  wiU  not  contradict  you,”  replied  Ned  Land.  “  But  dinner 
or  breakfast,  the  steward  will  be  welcome,  whichever  he 
brings.” 

“  Master  Land,  we  must  conform  to  the  rules  on  board,  and  I 
suppose  our  appetites  are  in  advance  of  the  dinner-hour.” 

“  That  is  just  like  you,  friend  Conseil,”  said  Ned,  impatiently. 


60  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  You  are  never  out  of  temper,  always  calm  ;  you  would  return 
thanks  before  grace,  and  die  of  himger  rather  than  complain  !” 

Time  was  getting  on,  and  we  were  fearfully  hungry;  and  this 
time  the  steward  did  not  appear.  It  was  rather  too  long  to  leave 
us,  if  they  really  had  good  intentions  towards  us.  Ned  I^nd, 
tormented  by  the  cravings  of  hunger,  got  still  more  angry  ;  and 
notwithstanding  his  promise,  I  dreaded  an  explosion  when  he 
found  himself  with  one  of  the  crew. 

For  two  hours  more,  Ned  Land’s  temper  increased;  he  cried, 
he  shouted,  but  in  vain.  The  walls  were  deaf.  There  was  no 
sound  to  be  heard  in  the  boat;  all  was  stiU  as  death.  It  did 
not  move,  for  I  should  have  felt  the  trembhng  motion  of  the 
hull  under  the  influence  of  the  screw.  Plunged  in  the  depths 
of  the  waters,  it  belonged  no  longer  to  earth: — this  silence  was 
dreadful. 

I  felt  terrified,  Conseil  was  calm,  Ned  Land  roared. 

Just  then  a  noise  was  heard  outside.  Steps  sounded  on  the 
metal  flags.  The  locks  were  turned,  the  door  opened,  and  the 
steward  appeared. 

Before  I  could  rush  forward  to  stop  him,  the  Canadian  had 
tlHown  him  down,  and  held  him  by  the  throat.  The  steward 
was  choking  under  the  grip  of  his  powerful  hand. 

Conseil  was -already  trying  to  unclasp  the  harpooner’s  hand 
from  his  half-suffocated  victim,  and  I  was  going  to  fly  to  the 
rescue,  when  suddenly  I  was  nailed  to  the  spot  by  hearing 
these  words  in  French,— 

“Be  quiet.  Master  Land:  and  you.  Profess©!,  will  you  be  so 
good  as  to  listen  to  me  V 


CHAPTER  X 


THE  MAN  OF  THE  SEAS. 

It  was  the  commander  of  the  vessel  who  thus  spoke. 

At  these  words,  Ned  Land  rose  suddenly.  The  steward, 
nearly  strangled,  tottered  oi’t  on  a  sign  from  his  master;  but 
Buch  was  the  power  of  the  commander  on  board,  that  not  a 
gesture  betrayed  the  resentment  which  this  man  must 
have  felt  towards  the  Canadian,  '^onseil  interested  in  spite  of 
himself,  I  stupefied,  awaited  in  silence  the  result  of  this 
scene. 

The  commander,  leaning  against  a  corner  of  the  table  with 
his  arms  folded,  scanned  us  with  profound  attention.  Did  he 
hesitate  to  speak  ?  Did  he  regret  the  words  which  he  had  just 
spoken  in  French?  One  might  almost  think  so. 

After  some  moments  of  silence,  which  not  one  of  us  dreamed 
of  breaking,  “Gc  tlemen,”  said  in  a  calm  and  penetrating 
voice,  “T  speak  French,  English,  German,  and  Latin  equally 
well.  I  could,  therefore,  ha  e  answered  you  rt  ur  first  inter¬ 
view,  but  I  wished  to  know  you  first,  then  to  reflect.  The  story 
told  by  each  one,  entirely  agreeing  in  the  main  points,  con¬ 
vinced  me  of  your  identity.  I  know  now  that  chance  has 
brought  before  me  M.  Pierre  Aronnax,  Professor  of  Natural 
History  at  the  Museum  of  Paris,  intrusted  with  a  scientific  mis¬ 
sion  abroad;  Conseil,  his  servant;  and  Ned  Land,  of  Canadian 
origin,  harpooner  on  board  the  frigate  Abraham  Lincoln  of  the 
navy  of  the  United  States  of  America.” 

I  bowed  assent.  It  was  not  a  question  that  the  commander 
put  to  me.  Therefore  there  was  no  answer  to  be  made.  This 
man  expressed  himself  with  perfect  ease,  without  any  accent 
His  sentences  were  well  tumed,  his  words  clear,  and  his  fluency 


62  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

of  speech  remarkable.  Yet,  I  did  not  recognize  in  him  a  fel« 
low-countryman. 

He  continued  the  conversation  in  these  terms: — 

“  You  have  doubtless  thought,  sir,  that  I  have  delayed  long  in 
paying  you  this  second  visit.  The  reason  is  that,  your  identity 
recognized,  I  wished  to  weigh  maturely  what  part  to  act  to¬ 
wards  you.  I  have  hesitated  much.  Most  annoying  circum¬ 
stances  have  brought  you  into  the  preseDr=p  of  a  man  who  has 
broken  all  the  ties  of  humanity.  You  have  come  to  trouble  my 
existence.” 

“  UnintentionaUy  I  ”  said  I. 

“  Unintentionally  ?  ”  replied  the  stranger,  raising  his  voice  a 
little;  “was  it  unintentionally  that  the  Abraham  Lincoln  pur¬ 
sued  me  aU  over  the  seas  ?  Was  it  unintentionally  that  you 
took  passage  ■"  Ibis  friga^  ?  Was  it  unintentionally  that  your 
cannon-balls  rebounded  off  t  plating  of  my  vessel?  Was  it 
unintentionally  that  Mr.  Ned  Land  struck  me  with  his  har¬ 
poon  ?  ” 

I  detected  a  restrained  irri^ 'tio  in  these  words.  But  to  these 
recriminations  I  had  a  rcr.  natural  answer  to  make,  and  I 
made  it. 

“  Sir,”  said  I,  “  no  doubt  you  are  ignorant  of  the  discussions 
which  have  taken  place  concerning  you  in  America  and  Europe. 
You  do  not  know  'h- 1  divers  accidents,  caused  by  collisions  with 
your  submarine  machiu  ha  excit  .  public  fLcling  in  the  two 
continents.  I  omit  thr  liypotl.'ises  without  immber  by  which  it 
was  sought  to  explain  le  inexplicable  phenomenon  of  which  you 
alone  possess  the  secret.  But  you  must  understand  that,  in  pur¬ 
suing  you  over  the  high  seas  of  the  Pacific,  e  Abraham  Lin¬ 
coln  believed  itself  to  be  chasing  some  powerful  sea-monster,  of 
which  it  was  necessary  to  rid  the  ocean  at  any  price.” 

A  half -smile  curled  the  lips  of  the  commander:  then,  in  a 
calmer  tone: — 

“M.  Aronnax,”  he  replied,  “dare  you  afiBnu  that  your  frigate 
would  not  as  soon  have  pursued  and  cannonaded  a  submarine 
boat  as  a  monster?” 

This  question  embarrassed  me,  for  certainly  Captain  Farragut 
might  not  have  hesitated.  He  might  have  thought  it  his  duty  to 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  83 


d’istroy  >,•  contrivance  of  this  kind,  as  he  would  a  gigantic  nar- 
V  hal. 

“  You  understand  then,  sir,”  continued  the  stranger,  “  that  I 
b  we  thto  right  to  treat  you  as  enemies?” 

I  answered  nothing,  purposely.  For  what  good  would  it  he 
b'  discuss  i<uch  a  proposition,  when  force  could  destroy  the  best 
arguments  f 

“I  have  hesitated  for  some  time,”  continued  the  commander; 
“nothing  obliged  me  to  show  you  hospitality.  If  I  chose  to 
separate  myself  from  you,  I  should  have  no  interest  in  seeing 
you  again;  I  could  place  you  upon  the  deck  of  this  vessel  which 
has  served  you  as  a  refuge,  I  could  sink  beneath  the  waters,  ax:'d 
forget  that  you  had  ever  existed.  Would  not  that  be  my 
right?” 

“  It  might  be  the  right  of  the  savage,”  I  answered,  “  but  not 
that  of  a  civilized  man.” 

“Professor,”  replied  the  commander  quickly,  “I  am  not  what 
you  call  a  civilized  man  I  I  have  done  with  society  entirely,  for 
reasons  which  I  alone  have  the  right  of  appreciating.  I  do  not 
therefore  obey  its  laws,  and  I  desire  you  never  to  allude  to  them 
before  me  again!” 

This  was  said  plainly.  A  flash  of  anger  and  disdain  kindled 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Unknown,  and  I  had  a  glimpse  of  a  terrible 
past  in  the  life  of  this  man.  Not  only  had  he  put  himself  be¬ 
yond  the  pale  of  human  laws,  but  he  had  made  himself  inde¬ 
pendent  of  them,  free  in  the  strictest  acceptation  of  the  word, 
quite  beyond  their  reach!  Who  then  would  dare  to  pursue  him 
at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  when,  on  its  surface,  he  defied  all 
attempts  made  against  him?  What  vessel  could  resist  the  shock 
of  his  submarine  monitor?  Wliat  cuirass,  however  thick,  could 
withstand  the  blows  of  his  spur?  No  man  could  demand  from 
him  an  account  of  his  actions;  God,  if  he  believed  in  one, —  his 
conscience,  if  he  had  one, —  were  the  sole  judges  to  whom  he 
was  answerable. 

These  reflections  crossed  my  mind  rapidly,  whilst  the  stranger 
personage  was  silent,  absorbed,  and  as  if  wrapped  up  in  him¬ 
self.  I  regarded  him  with  fear  mingled  with  interest,  as,  doubtr 
less,  CEdipus  regarded  the  Sphinx, 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


After  rather  a  long  silence,  the  commander  resumed  the  con- 
Tersation. 

“I  have  hesitated,”  said  he,  “but  I  have  thought  that  my  in¬ 
terest  might  be  reconciled  with  that  pity  to  which  every  human 
being  has  a  right.  You  will  remain  on  hoard  my  vessel,  since 
fate  has  cast  you  there.  You  will  he  free;  and  in  exchange  for 
this  liberty,  I  shall  only  impose  one  single  condition.  Your  word 
of  honor  to  submit  to  it  will  suffice.” 

“Speak,  sir,”  I  answered.  “I  buppose  this  condition  is  one 
which  a  man  of  honor  may  accept?” 

“  Yes,  sir;  it  is  this.  It  is  possible  that  certain  events,  unfore¬ 
seen,  may  oblige  me  to  consign  you  to  your  cabins  for  some 
hours  or  some  days,  as  the  case  may  be.  As  I  desire  never  to  use 
violence,  I  expect  from  you,  more  than  all  the  others,  a  passive 
obedience.  In  thus  acting,  I  take  all  the  responsibility;  I  acquit 
you  entirely,  for  I  make  it  an  impossibility  for  you  to  see  what 
ought  not  to  be  seen.  Do  you  accept  this  condition?” 

Then  thinfs  took  place  on  be  rd  which,  to  say  the  least,  were 
singular,  a  which  ought  not  to  be  seen  by  people  who  were 
not  placed  beyond  the  pale  of  social  laws.  Amongst  the  sur¬ 
prises  which  the  future  was  preparing  for  me,  this  might  not  be 
the  least. 

“We  accept,”  I  answered;  “only  I  will  ask  your  permission, 
sir,  to  address  one  question  to  you, — one  only.” 

“  Speak,  sir.” 

“  You  said  that  we  should  be  free  on  board.” 

“  Entirely.” 

“I  ask  you,  then,  what  you  mean  by  this  liberty  ?” 

“Just  the  liberty  to  go,  to  come,  to  see,  to  observe  even  aUthat 
passes  here, — save  under  rare  circumstances, — the  liberty,  in 
short,  which  we  enjoy  ourselves,  my  companions  and  1.” 

It  was  evident  that  we  did  not  understand  one  another. 

“ Pardon  me,  sir,”  I  resumed,  “but  this  hberty  is  only  what 
every  prisoner  has  of  pacing  his  prison.  It  can  not  suffice  us.” 

“  It  must  suffice  you,  however.” 

“  What !  we  must  renounce  forever  seeing  our  country,  our 
friends,  our  relations  again  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  sir.  But  to  renounce  that  unendurable  worldly  yoke 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


6o 


which  men  believe  to  be  liberty,  is  not  perhaps  so  painful  as  you 
think.” 

“  Well,”  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  “  never  will  I  give  my  word  of 
honor  not  to  try  to  escape.” 

“I  did  not  a'Jk  you  for  your  word  of  honor.  Master  Land,”  an¬ 
swered  the  commander,  coldly. 

“  Sir,”  I  replied,  beginning  to  get  angry  in  spite  of  myself, 
“you  abuse  your  situation  towards  us;  it  is  cruelty.” 

“  sir,  it  is  clemency.  You  are  my  prisoners  of  war.  I  keep 
you,  when  I  could,  by  a  word,  plunge  you  into  the  depths  erf  the 
ocean.  You  attacked  me.  You  came  to  surprise  secret  which 
no  man  in  the  world  must  penetrate, — the  secret  of  my  whole 
existence.  And  you  think  that  I  am  going  to  send  you  back  to 
that  world  whi'-h  must  know  me  no  more  ?  Never!  In  retain¬ 
ing  you,  it  is  not  you  w^''  I  guard, — it  is  myself.” 

These  words  indicated  a  resolution  taken  on  the  part  of  the 
commander,  against  which  argiments  would  vail. 

“So,  sir,”  I  rejoined,  “you  give  us  simply  the  choice  between 
life  and  death  ?  ”  “  Simply.” 

“My  friends,”  said  I,  “to  a  question  thus  \  there  is  nothing 
to  answer.  But  no  word  of  honor  binds  us  to  the  master  of  this 
A  vessel.” 

“None,  sir,”  answered  the  Unknown. 

Then,  in  a  gentler  tone,  he  continued: — 

“Now,  perm’  me  to  finish  Mt '  have  i  say  to  you.  I  know 
you,  M.  Aronnax.  You  an  1  your  companion-! '  '  not,  perhaps, 

have  so  much  to  complain  of  in  the  chance  whiLh  has  bound 
you  to  my  fate.  You  will  fin.!  amongst  the  books  which  are  my 
favorite  study,  the  work  which  you  have  published  on  ‘the 
depths  '■  the  sea.’  ^  Mve  often  read  it.  You  hw"  carried  your 
work  as  far  as  terrestrial  science  permitted  you.  But  you  do  not 
know  all, — you  have  not  all.  L  t  me  tell  you  then.  Pro¬ 

fessor,  that  you  will  not  re^  ret  the  time  passed  on  board  my 
vessel.  You  are  going  to  visit  the  land  of  marvels.” 

These  words  of  the  commander  had  a  great  effect  upon  me.  I 
can  not  deny  it.  LIy  weak  point  was  touched;  and  I  forgot,  for 
a  moment,  that  tl'O  contemplation  of  these  sublime  subjects  was 
not  worth  the  loss  of  hberty.  Besides.  I  trusted  to  the  future  to 


CG  TWENTY  TIIOUSAIfD  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

decide  this  grare  question.  So  I  contented  myself  with 
8;vving  — 

“  By  what  name  ought  I  to  address  you  ?  ” 

“  Sir,”  replied  the  commander,  “  I  am  nothing  to  you  but  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo;  and  you  imd  your  companions  are  nothing  to  me  but 
the  passengers  of  the  Nautilus.” 

Captain  Nemo  called.  A  steward  appeared.  The  captain  gave 
him  his  orders  in  that  strange  language  wliich  I  did  not  mider- 
stand.  Then,  turning  towards  tlie  Canadian  and  Conseil: — 

“  A  repast  awaits  you  hi  your  cabin,”  said  he.  “  Be  so  good  as 
to  follow  this  man.” 

“And  now,  M.'Aronnax,  our  breakfast  is  ready.  Permit  me 
to  lead  the  way.” 

“  I  am  at  your  service,  Captain.” 

I  followed  Captain  Nemo;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  passed  through 
the  door,  I  found  myself  in  a  kind  of  passage  hghted  by  electri¬ 
city,  similar  to  tlie  waist  of  a  ship.  After  we  had  proceeded  a 
dozen  yards,  a  second  door  opened  before  me. 

I  then  entered  a  dining-room,  decorated  and  furnished  i 
severe  taste.  High  oaken  sideboards,  inlaid  with  ebony,  •  ‘ 
at  the  two  extremities  of  the  room,  and  upon  their  shelve  j  glit¬ 
tered  china,  porceUiin,  and  glass  of  inestimable  value.  The 
plate  on  the  table  sparkled  in  the  rays  which  the  luminous  ceil¬ 
ing  shed  around  while  the  hght  was  tempered  and  softened  by 
exquisite  paintings. 

In  the  center  of  the  room  was  a  table  ’^’clily  laid  out  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  indicated  the  place  I  W'  ;  to  occupy. 

The  breakfast  consisted  of  a  certain  number  of  dishes,  the 
contents  of  which  were  furnished  by  the  sea  alone  ;  and  I  was 
ignorant  of  the  nature  and  mode  of  preparation  of  some  of 
tliem.  I  acknowledged  that  they  were  good,  but  they  had  a  pe¬ 
culiar  flavor,  wliich  I  easily  became  accustomed  to.  These  dif¬ 
ferent  aliments  appeared  to  me  to  be  rich  in  phosphorus,  and 
I  thought  tliey  must  have  a  marine  origin. 

Captain  Nemo  looked  at  me.  I  asked  him  no  questions,  but 
he  guessed  my  thoughts,  and  answered  of  his  own  accord  the 
questions  which  I  was  burning  to  address  to  him. 

“  The  greater  part  of  these  dishes  are  unknown  to  you,”  he 


TWENTY  THOTTSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  67 

said  to  me.  “  However,  you  may  partake  ot  tliem  without  fear. 
They  are  wholesome  and  nourishing.  For  a  long  time  I  have 
renomiced  the  food  of  the  earth,  and  I  am  never  ill  now.  My 
crew,  wdio  are  healthy,  are  fed  on  the  same  food.” 

“  So,”  said  I,  “  all  these  eatables  iu:e  the  produce  of  the  sea  ?” 

“Yes,  Professor,  tlie  sea  suppUes  all  uy  wants.  Sometimes  I 
cast  my  nets  in  tow,  and  I  draw  them  in  ready  to  bre^ilr.  Some¬ 
times  I  hunt  in  tlie  midst  of  this  element,  which  appeal's  to  be 
inaccessible  to  niim,  and  qum-ry  tlie  game  which  dwells  in  my 
submarine  forests.  flocks,  like  tliose  of  Neptune’s  old 
shepherds,  graze  fearlessly  in  the  immense  prairies  of  tlie 
ocean.  I  have  a  vast  property  there,  which  I  cultivate  myself, 
and  wliich  is  always  so^^^l  by  tlie  hand  of  the  Creator  of  ail 
things.” 

“  I  can  imderstiuid  perfectly,  sir,  tliat  your  nets  furnish  ex¬ 
cellent  fish  for  your  table  ;  I  can  miderstand  also  tliat  yixi  hunt 
aquatic  game  in  your  submarine  forests  ;  but  I  can  not  mider¬ 
stand  at  all  how  a  particle  of  meat,  no  matter  how  small,  can 
figure  in  yoqr  bill  of  fare,” 

“  Tills,  which  you  believe  to  be  meat,  Professor,  is  nothing 
else  tliiui  fillet  of  turtle.  Here  are  also  some  dolphins’  livers,  which 
you  take  to  be  ragout  of  pork.  My  cook  is  a  clever  fellow,  who 
excels  in  dressing  these  various  products  of  the  ocean.  Taste 
all  these  dishes.  Here  is  a  preserve  of  holothuria,  which  a 
Malaj’  would  declare  to  be  unrivalled  in  the  world  ;  here  is  a 
cremn,  of  which  the  milk  has  been  furnishixi  by  the  cetacea, 
and  tlie  sugar  by  the  great  fucus  of  the  North  Sea  ;  ami  lastly, 
pt'nnit  me  to  offer  you  some  preserve  of  anemones,  which  is 
equal  to  that  of  the  most  delicious  fruits.” 

I  tasted,  more  from  cmiosity  than  as  a  connoisseur,  whilst 
OaptMn  Nemo  enchanted  me  witli  his  extraordinary  shwies. 

“  You  like  the  sea.  Captain  ?  ” 

“  Yes  ;  I  love  it !  The  sea  is  every  thing.  It  covers  seven- 
tenths  of  the  terrestrial  globe.  Its  breath  is  pure  and  healthy. 
It  is  an  immense  desert,  where  man  is  never  lonely,  for  he  feels 
life  stirring  on  all  sides.  The  sea  is  only  tlie  einbodiment  of  a 
suiH'rnatural  and  wonderful  existence.  It  is  nothing  but  love 
and  emotion  ;  it  is  the  ‘  Living  Infinite,’  as  one  Of  your  jxiets 


68  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

has  saiu.  faoc,  Professor,  Nature  manifests  herself  in  it  by 
her  three  kingdoms,  mineral,  vegetable,  and  animal.  The  sea 
is  the  vast  reservoir  of  Nature.  The  globe  began  with  sea,  so 
to  speak  ;  and  who  knows  if  it  will  not  end  with  it  ?  In  it  is 
supreme  tranquillity.  The  sea  does  not  belong  to  despots. 
Upon  its  surface  men  can  still  exercise  unjust  laws,  fight,  tear 
one  another  to  pieces,  and  be  carried  away  with  terrestrial  hor¬ 
rors.  But  at  thirty  feet  below  its  level,  their  reign  ceases,  their 
influence  is  quenched,  and  their  power  disappears.  Ah !  sir, 
live — live  in  the  bosom  of  the  waters!  There  only  is  inde¬ 
pendence  I  There  I  recognize  no  masters !  There  I  am 
free !  ” 

Captain  Nemo  suddenly  became  silent  in  the  midst  of  this 
enthusiasm,  by  which  he  was  quite  carried  away.  For  a  few 
moments  he  paced  up  and  down,  much  a,gitated.  Then  he  be¬ 
came  more  calm,  regained  his  accustomed  coldness  of  ex¬ 
pression,  and  turning  tow^ards  me  :  — 

“  Now,  Professor,”  said  he,  “  if  you  wish  to  go  over  the  Nauti¬ 
lus,  I  am  at  your  service.” 

Captain  Nemo  rose.  I  followed  him.  A  double  door,  con¬ 
trived  at  the  back  of  the  dining-room,  opened,  and  I  entered  a 
room  equal  in  dimensions  to  that  v/hich  I  had  just  quitted. 

It  was  a  hbrary.  High  pieces  of  furniture,  of  black  violet 
ebony  inlaid  with  brass,  supported  upon  their  wide  shelves  a 
great  number  of  books  uniformly  bound.  They  folJow'cd  the 
shape  of  the  room,  terminating  at  the  lower  part  in  huge  divans, 
covered  with  brown  leather,  wdiich  were  curved,  to  afford  the 
gi'eatest  comfort.  Light  movable  desks,  made  to  slide  In  and 
out  at  will,  allowed  one  to  rest  one’s  book  while  reading.  In  the 
center  stood  an  immense  table,  covered  with  pamphlets,  amongst 
which  were  some  newspapers,  already  of  old  date.  The  electric 
light  flooded  every  thing;  it  was  shed  from  four  unpolislse-i 
globes  half  sunk  in  the  volutes  of  the  ceiling.  I  looked  with 
real  admiration  at  this  room.  So  ingeniously  fitted  up,  and  I 
could  scarcely  believe  my  eyes. 

“  Captain  Nemo,”  said  I  to  my  host,  wdio  had  just  thrown  him¬ 
self  on  one  of  the  divans,  “  this  is  a  library  which  would  do  honor 
to  more  than  one  of  the  continental  palaces,  and  1  am  absolutely 


TWENTY  TUOESAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  69 


astounded  when  I  consider  that  it  can  follow  you  to  the  bottom 
of  the  seas.” 

“  Where  could  one  find  greater  solitude  or  silence,  Professor?” 
replied  Captain  Nemo.  “  Did  your  study  in  the  Museum  afford 
you  such  perfect  quiet?” 

“  No,  sir;  and  I  must  confess  that  it  is  a  very  poor  one  after 
yours.  You  must  have  six  or  seven  thousand  volumes  here.” 

“Twelve  thousand,  M.  Aronnax.  These  are  the  only  ties 
which  bind  me  to  the  earth.  But  I  had  done  with  the  world  on 
tne  day  when  my  Nautilus  plunged  for  the  first  time  beneath 
the  waters.  That  day  I  bought  ray  last  volumes,  my  last  pam- 
plilets,  my  last  papers,  and  from  that  time  I  wish  to  think 
that  men  no  longer  think  or  write.  These  books,  Professor, 
are  at  your  service  besides,  and  you  can  make  use  of  them 
freely.” 

I  thanked  Captain  Nemo,  and  went  up  to  the  shelves  of  the 
library.  Works  on  science,  morals  and  literature  abounded  in 
every  language;  but  I  did  not  see  one  single  work  on  politicat 
economy;  that  subject  appeared  to  be  strictly  proscribed.  Strange 
to  say,  aU  these  books  were  irregularly  arranged,  in  whatever 
language  they  were  written;  and  this  medley  proved  that  the 
captain  of  the  Nautilus  must  hare  read  indiscriminately  the 
books  which  he  took  up  by  chance. 

“  Sir,”  said  I  to  the  captain,  “  I  thank  you  for  having  placed 
this  library  at  my  disposal.  It  contains  treasures  of  science,  and 
I  shall  profit  by  them.” 

“This  room  is  not  only  a  library,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  “it  is 
also  a  smoking-room.” 

“  A  smoking-room !  ”  I  cried.  “  Then  one  may  smoke  on 
board  ?  ”  “  Certainly.” 

“  Then,  sir,  I  am  forced  to  believe  that  you  have  kept  up  a 
communication  with  Havannah;” 

“Not  any,”  answered  the  captain.  “Accept  this  cigar,  M. 
Aronnax;  and  though  it  does  not  come  from  Havannah,  you 
will  be  pleased  with  it,  if  you  are  a  connoisseur.” 

I  took  the  cigar  which  was  offered  me;  its  shape  recalled  ihe 
London  ones,  but  it  seemed  to  be  made  of  leaves  of  gold.  I 
lighted  it  at  a  little  brazier,  which  was  supported  upon  an  ele- 


70  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  TUE  SEAS. 

gant  bronze  stem,  and  drew  the  first  whiiTs  with  the  delight  of 

lover  ol  smoking  who  has  noL  smoked  for  two  days. 

“  It  is  excellent,”  said  I,  “  but  it  is  not  tobacco.” 

“No!”  answered  the  captain,  “this  tobacco  comes  neither^ 
from  Havaiinah  nor  from  the  East.  It  is  a  kind  of  sea-weed, 
rich  in  nicotine,  with  which  the  sea  provides  me,  but  somewhat 
sparingly.” 

At  that  moment  Captain  Nemo  opened  a  door  which  stood 
opposite  to  that  by  which  I  had  entered  the  library,  and  I  passed 
into  an  immense  drawing-room,  splendidly  lighted. 

It  was  a  vast  four-sided  room,  thirty  feet  long,  eigliteen  wide, 
and  fifteen  high.  A  luminous  ceiling,  decorated  with  light 
arabesques,  shed  a  soft  clear  light  over  all  the  marvels  accumu¬ 
lated  in  this  museum.  For  it  was  in  fact  a  museum,  in  which 
an  intelligent  and  prodigal  hand  had  gathered  all  the  treasures 
of  nature  and  art,  with  the  artistic  confusion  wliich  distiii.spuishes 
a  painter’s  studio.  Thirty  first-rate  pictures,  uniformly  framed, 
separated  by  bright  drapery,  ornamented  the  walls,  which  were 
hung  with  tapestry  of  severe  design.  I  saw  wurks  of  great 
value,  the  greater  part  of  which  I  had  admired  in  the  special 
collections  of  Europe,  and  in  the  exhibitions  of  p^aintings.  The 
several  schools  of  the  old  masters  were  represented  by  a  Madon¬ 
na  of  Raphael,  a  Virgin  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  a  njmiph  of  Cor¬ 
reggio,  a  woman  of  Titian,  an  Adoration  of  Veronese,  an 
Assumption  of''”  lo,  a  portrait  of  Holbein,  a  monk  of  Velas¬ 
quez,  a  martyr  of  Ribeira,  a  fair  of  Rubens,  tw'o  Flemish  land¬ 
scapes  of  Teniers,  three  little  “genre”  pictures  of  Gerard  Dow, 
Metsu  and  Paul  Potter,  two  specimens  of  Gericault  and  Prud- 
hon,  and  some  sea-pieces  of  Backhuysen  and  Vernet.  Amongst 
the  works  of  modern  painters  were  pictures  with  the  signatures 
of  Delacroix,  Ingres,  Decamp,  Troyon,  Meissonnier,  Daubigny, 
etc.;  and  some  admirable  statues  in  marble  and  bronze,  after  the 
finest  antique  models,  stood  upon  pedestals  in  the  corners  of 
this  magnificent  museum.  Amazement,  as  the  captain  of  the  Nau¬ 
tilus  had  predicted,  had  already  begun  to  take  possession  of  me. 

“  Professor,”  said  this  strange  man,  “  you  must  excuse  the  un¬ 
ceremonious  way  in  which  I  receive  you,  and  the  disorder  of 
tills  room.” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS,  71 


“  Sir,”  I  answered,  “  without  seeking  to  know  who  you  are,  I 
recognize  in  you  an  artist.” 

“An  amateur,  nothing  more,  sir.  Formerly  I  loved  to  collect 
these  beautiful  works  created  by  the  hand  of  man.  I  sought 
them  greedily  and  ferreted  them  out  indefatigably,  and  I  have 
been  able  to  bring  together  some  objects  of  great  value.  These 
are  my  last  souvenirs  of  that  world  which  is  dead  to  me.  In  my 
eyes,  your  modern  artists  are  already  old:  they  have  two  or  three 
thousand  years  of  existence;  I  confound  them  in  my  own  mind. 
Masters  have  no  age.” 

“And  these  musicians?”  said  I,  pointing  out  some  works  of 
Weber,  Rossini,  Mozart,  Beethoven,  Haydn,  Meyerbeer,  Herold, 
Wagner,  Auber,  Gounod,  and  a  number  of  others  scattered  over 
a  large  model  piano  organ  wliich  occupied  one  of  the  panels  of 
the  drawing-room. 

“  These  musicians,”  replied  Captain  Nemo,  “  are  the  contem¬ 
poraries  of  Orpheus;  "  >r  in  the  memory  of  the  dead  all  chrono¬ 
logical  differences  are  effaced;  and  I  am  "dead.  Professor;  as 
much  dead  as  those  of  your  friends  who  are  sleeping  six  feet 
under  the  earth !  ” 

Captain  Nemo  was  silent,  and  seemed  lost  in  a  profound  revery. 
I  contc  ' plated  him  with  deep  interest,  analyzing  in  silence  the 
strange  expression  f  his  countenance.  Leaning  on  his  elbow 
against  an  angle  of  a  costly  mosaic  table,  he  no  longer  saw  me, — 
he  had  forgotten  my  presence. 

I  did  not  C^-lurb  this  revery,  and  continued  my  observation  of 
the  curiosities  which  vjnriched  this  drawing-room. 

Under  elegant  glass  cases,  fixed  by  copper  rivets,  were  classed 
and  labelled  the  most  precious  productions  of  the  sea  which  had 
ever  been  presented  to  the  eye  of  a  naturalist.  My  delight  as  a 
professor  may  be  conceived. 

The  division  containing  the  zoophytes  presented  the  most 
curious  specim  ^rs  of  the  two  groups  of  polypi  and  echinodermes- 
In  the  first  group,  the  tubipores,  were  gorgones  arranged  I  \  • 
fan,  soft  sponges  of  S^Tia,  ises  of  the  Moluccas,  pennatules,  an 
admirable  virgularia  of  th  Norwegian  seas,  variegated  umbellul- 
ainu,  alcyonariae,  a  whole  series  of  madrepores,  vdiich  my  master 
Milne-Edwards  has  so  c-cyjrly  classified,  amongst  which  I  re- 


72  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

marked  some  wonderful  flabellinse,  oculince  of  the  island  of 
Bourbon,  the  “  Neptune’s  car  ”  of  the  Antilles,  superb  varieties 
of  c-  >ral8,  in  short,  every  species  of  those  curious  polypi  of  which 
entire  islands  are  formed,  which  will  one  day  become  continents. 
Of  the  echinodermes,  remarkable  for  their  coatmg  of  spines, 
asteri,  sea-stars,  pantacrin®,  comatuies,  asterophons,  echini,  hol- 
othuri,  etc.,  represented  individually  a  complete  collection  of 
this  group. 

A  somewhat  nervous  conchyliologist  would  certainly  have 
fainted  before  other  more  numerous  cases,  in  which  were  clas' 
sified  the  specimens  of  molluscs.  It  was  a  collection  of  uiesti- 
mable  value,  which  time  fails  me  to  describe  minutely.  Amongst 
these  specimens,  I  will  quote  from  memory  only  the  elegant 
royal  hammer-fish  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  whose  regular  white 
spots  stood  out  brightly  on  a  red  and  brown  ground,  an  imperial 
spondyle,  bright  colored,  bristling  with  spines,  a  rare  specimen 
in  the  European  museums  (I  estimated  its  value  at  not  less  than 
£1,000) ;  a  common  hammer-fish  of  the  seas  of  New  Holland, 
which  is  only  procured  with  difficulty;  exotic  buccardia  of  Sene¬ 
gal;  fragile  white  bivalve  shells,  v/hich  a  breath  might  shatter 
like  a  soap-biioble;  several  varieties  of  the  aspirgillum  of  Java, 
a  kind  of  calcareous  tube,  edged  with  leafy  f  Ids,  and  much 
debated  by  amateurs;  a  whole  series  of  trochi,  some  a  greenish- 
yellow,  found  the  American  seas,  others  a  reddish-brown, 
natives  of  Australian  waters;  others  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  re¬ 
markable  for  their  imbricated  shell;  stellar!  fo’ip.  l  in  the  South¬ 
ern  Seas;  and  last,  the  rarest  of  all,  the  magnificent  spur  of  New 
Zealand;  and  every  description  of  delicate  and  fragile  shells  to 
which  science  has  given  appropriate  names. 

Apart,  in  separate  compartments,  were  spread  out  chaplets  of 
pearls  of  the  greatest  beauty,  which  reflected  the  electric  light 
in  little  sparks  of  fire;  pink  pearls,  torn  '  m  the  pinna-marina 
of  the  Red  Sea;  green  pearls  of  the  haliotyde  iris;  yellow,  blue, 
and  black  pearls,  the  curious  nroduetions  of  the  divers  molluscs 
of  every  ocean,  and  certain  mussels  of  the  watercourses  of  the 
North;  lastly,  several  specimens  of  inestimable  value  which  had 
been  gathered  from  the  rarest  pintedines.  Some  of  these 
pearls  were  larger  than  a  pigeoii’a  .‘gg,  and  were  worth  ag 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  73 

much,  and  more  than  that  which  the  traveller  Tavernier  sold  to 
the  Shall  of  Persia  for  three  millions,  and  surpassed  the  one  in 
the  possession  of  the  Imaum  of  Muscat,  which  I  had  believed 
to  be  unrivalled  in  the  world. 

Therefore,  to  estimate  the  value  of  this  collection  was  simply 
impossible.  Captain  Nemo  must  have  expended  millions  in  the 
acquirement  of  these  various  specimens,  and  I  was  thinking 
what  source  he  could  have  drawn  from,  to  have  been  able  thus 
to  gratify  his  fancy  for  collecting,  when  I  was  interrupted  by 
these  words: — 

“You  are  examining  my  shells.  Professor?  Unquestionably 
they  must  be  interesting  to  a  naturalist;  but  for  me  they  have  a 
far  greater  charm,  for  I  have  collected  them  all  with  my  own 
band,  and  there  is  not  a  sea  on  the  face  of  the  globe  which  has 
escaped  my  researches.” 

“I  can  understand.  Captain,  the  delight  of  wandering  about 
in  the  midst  of  such  riches.  You  are  one  of  those  who  have 
collected  their  treasures  themselves.  No  museum  in  Europe 
possesses  such  a  collection  of  the  produce  of  the  ocean.  But  if 
I  exhaust  all  my  admiration  upon  it,  I  shall  have  none  left  for 
the  vessel  which  carries  it.  I  do  not  wish  to  pry  into  yom*  se¬ 
crets;  but  I  must  confess  that  this  Nautilus,  with  the  motive 
power  which  is  confined  in  it,  the  contrivances  which  enable  it 
to  be  worked,  the  powerful  agent  which  propels  it,  all  excite 
my  curiosity  to  the  highest  pitch.  I  see  suspended  on  the  walls 
of  this  room  instruments  of  whose  use  I  am  ignorant.” 

“  You  will  lind  tliese  same  instruments  in  my  own  room.  Pro¬ 
fessor,  where  I  shall  have  much  pleasure  in  explaining  their 
use  to  you.  But  first  come  and  inspect  the  cabin  which  is  set 
apart  for  your  own  use.  You  must  see  how  you  will  be  accom¬ 
modated  on  board  the  Nautilus.” 

I  followed  Captain  Nemo,  who,  by  one  of  the  doors  opening 
from  each  panel  of  the  drawing-room,  regained  tlie  waist.  He 
conducted  me  towards  the  bow,  and  there  I  found,  not  a  cabin, 
but  an  elegant  room,  with  a  bed,  dressing-table,  and  several 
other  pieces  of  furniture. 

I  could  only  thank  my  host. 

^  Your  room  adjoins  mine,”  said  he,  opening  a  door,  “  ami 
Q 


74  TWENTY  THOU?iND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

nune  opens  into  wie  drawing-room  tliat  we  have  just  quitted.” 

I  entered  the  captain’s  room;  it  had  a  severe,  almost  a  monk¬ 
ish,  aspect.  A  small  iron  bedstead,  a  table,  some  articles  for  the 
toilet;  the  whole  lighted  by  a  skylight.  No  comforts,  the  strict¬ 
est  necessaries  only. 

Captain  Nemo  pointed  to  a  seat. 

“  Be  so  good  as  to  sit  down,”  he  said.  I  seated  myself,  and 
lie  began  thu'"  *  — 


CH/.PTER  Tl. 

AL  BY  ^LECTEICITY. 

“  Sir,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  showing  me  the  instruments  hang¬ 
ing  on  the  walls  of  his  room,  “  here  are  the  contrivances  re¬ 
quired  for  the  navigation  of  the  Nautilus.  Here,  as  in  the 
drawing-room,  I  have  them  always  under  my  eyes,  and  they  in¬ 
dicate  my  position  and  exact  direction  in  the  middle  of  the 
ocean.  Some  are  known  to  you,  such  as  the  thermometer, 
which  gives  the  internal  temperature  of  the  Nautilus;  the 
barometer,  which  indicates  the  weight  of  the  air  and  foretells 
the  changes  of  the  weather;  the  hygrometer,  which  marks  the 
drjmess  of  the  atmosphere;  the  storm-glass,  the  contents  of 
which,  by  decomposing,  announce  the  approach  of  tempests; 
the  compass,  which  guides  my  course;  the  sextant,  which 
shows  the  latitude  by  the  altitude  of  the  sun ;  chronometers,  by 
which  I  calculate  the  longitude;  and  glasses  for  day  and  night, 
which  I  use  to  examine  the  points  of  the  horizon  when  the 
Nautilus  rises  to  the  sm'face  of  the  waves.” 

“  These  are  the  usual  nautical  instruments,”  I  rephed,  “  and  I 
know  the  use  of  them.  But  these  others,  no  doubt,  answer  to 
the  particular  requirements  of  the  Nautilus.  This  dial  with  the 
movable  needle  is  a  manometer,  is  it  not  ?” 

“  It  is  actually  a  manometer.  But  by  communication  with  the 
water,  whose  external  pressure  it  indicates,  it  gives  our  depth 
at  the  same  time.” 

“And  these  other  instruments,  the  use  of  which  I  can  not 
guess?” 

“  Here,  Professor,  I  ought  to  give  you  some  explanations.  Will 
you  be  kind  enough  to  listen  to  me  ?” 

He  was  silent  for  a  few  moments,  then  he  said :  — 

6  75 


76  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  There  is  a  powerful  agent,  obedient,  rapid,  easy,  which  con¬ 
forms  to  every  use,  and  reigns  supreme  on  hoard  my  vessel. 
Every  thing  is  done  by  means  of  it.  It  lights  it,  warms  it,  and  is 
the  soul  of  my  mechanical  apparatus.  This  agent  is  electricity.” 

“  Electricity  ?”  I  cried  in  surprise.  “  Yes,  sir.” 

“Nevertheless,  Captain,  you  possess  an  extreme  rapidity  of 
movement,  which  does  not  agree  well  with  the  power  of  elec¬ 
tricity.  Until  now  its  dynamic  force  has  remained  under  re¬ 
straint,  and  has  only  been  able  to  produce  a  small  amount  of 
power.” 

“Professor,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  “my  electricity  is  not  every 
body’s.  You  Imow  what  sea-water  is  composed  of.  In  a  thorn 
sand  grammes  are  found  per  cent,  of  water,  and  about 
per  cent,  of  chloride  of  sodium  ;  then,  in  a  smaller  quantity, 
chlorides  of  magnesium  and  of  potassium,  bromide  of  mag¬ 
nesium,  sulphate  of  magnesia,  sulphate  and  carbonate  of  lime. 
You  see,  then,  that  chloride  of  sodium  forms  a  large  part  of  it. 
So  it  is  this  sodium  that  I  extract  from  sea-water,  and  of  which  I 
compose  my  ingredients.  I  ov/e  all  to  the  ocean  ;  it  produces 
electricity,  and  electricity  gives  heat,  light,  motion,  and,  in  a 
word,  life  to  the  Nautilus.” 

“  But  not  the  air  you  breathe  ?  ” 

“  0,  I  could  manufacture  the  air  necessary  for  my  consump¬ 
tion,  but  it  is  useless,  because  I  go  up  to  the  surface  of  the 
water  when  I  please.  However,  if  electricity  does  not  furnish 
me  with  air  to  breathe,  it  works  at  least  the  powerful  pumps 
that  are  stored  in  spacious  reservoirs,  and  which  enable  me  to 
prolong  at  need,  and  as  long  as  I  will,  my  stay  in  the  depths  of 
the  sea.  It  gives  a  uniform  and  unintermittent  light,  which  the 
sun  does  not.  Now  look  at  this  clock  ;  it  is  electrical,  and  goes 
with  a  regularity  that  defies  the  best  chronometers.  I  have 
divided  it  into  twenty-four  hours,  like  the  Italian  clocks,  because 
for  me  there  is  neither  night  nor  day,  sun  nor  moon,  but  only 
that  factitious  light  that  I  take  with  me  to  the  bottom  of  the 
sea.  Look !  just  now,  it  is  ten  o’clock  in  the  morning.” 

“  Exactly.” 

“  Another  application  of  electricity.  This  dial  hanging  in 
front  of  us  indicates  the  speAd  of  the  Nautilus.  An  electric 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES -UNDER  THE  SEAS.  77 


thread  puts  it  in  communication  with  the  screw,  and  the  needle 
indicates  the  real  speed.  Look  !  now  we  are  spinning  along 
with  a  uniform  speed  of  fifteen  miles  an  hour.” 

“  It  is  marvellous  !  and  I  see,  Captain,  you  were  right  to 
make  use  of  this  agent  that  takes  the  place  of  wind,  water,  and 
steam.” 

“  We  have  not  finished,  M.  Aronnax,”  said  Captain  Nemo, 
rising;  “if  you  will  follow  me,  we  will  examine  the  stem  of 
the  Nautilus.” 

Really,  I  knew  already  the  anterior  part  of  this  submarine 
boat,  of  which  this  is  the  exact  division,  starting  from  the  ship’s 
head:  the  dining-room,  five  yards  long,  separated  from  the 
library  by  a  water-tight  partition  ;  the  library,  five  yards  long  ; 
the  large  drawdng-room,  ten  yards  long,  separated  from  the 
captain’s  room  by  a  second  water-tight  partition  ;  the  said 
room,  five  yards  in  length  ;  mine,  two  and  a  half  yards  ;  and 
lastly,  a  reservoir  of  air,  seven  and  a  half  yards,  that  extended 
to  the  bows.  Total  length  thirty-five  yards,  or  one  hundred  and 
five  feet.  The  partitions  had  doors  that  were  shut  hermetically 
by  means  of  india-rubber  instruments,  and  they  insured  the 
safety  of  the  Nautilus  in  case  of  a  leak. 

I  followed  Captain  Nemo  through  the  waist,  and  arrived 
at  the  center  of  the  boat.  There  was  a  sort  of  well  that  opened 
between  two  partitions.  An  iron  ladder,  fastened  with  an  iron 
hook  to  the  partition,  led  to  the  upper  end.  I  asked  the  captain 
what  the  ladder  was  used  for. 

“  It  leads  to  the  small  boat,”  he  said. 

“  What !  have  you  a  boat  ?  ”  I  exclaimed,  in  surprise. 

“  Of  course  ;  an  excellent  vessel,  light  and  insubmersible,  that 
serves  either  as  a  fishing  or  as  a  pleasure  boat.” 

“But  then,  when  you  wish  to  embark,  you  are  obliged  to  come 
to  the  surface  of  the  water  ?  ” 

“  Not  at  all.  This  boat  is  attached  to  the  upper  part  of  the  hub 
of  the  Nautilus,  and  occupies  a  cavity  made  for  it.  It  is  decked, 
quite  water-tight,  and  held  together  by  solid  bolts.  This  laddei 
leads  to  a  man-hole  made  in  the  hull  of  the  Nautilus,  that  corrO' 
spends  with  a  similar  hole  made  in  the  side  of  the  boat.  By  this 
double  opening  I  get  into  the  yesseh  They  shut  the  one 


78  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

belonging  to  the  Nautilus,  I  shut  the  other  by  means  of  screw 
pressure.  I  undo  the  bolts,  and  the  httle  boat  goes  up  to  the 
surface  of  the  sea  with  prodigious  rapidity.  I  then  open  the 
panel  of  the  bridge,  carefully  shut  till  then  ;  I  mast  it,  hoist  my 
sail,  take  my  oars,  and  I’m  off.” 

“  But  how  do  you  get  back  on  board  ?  ” 

“I  do  not  come  back,  M.  Aronnax  ;  the  Nautilus  comes  to  me.” 

“By  your  orders  ?” 

“By  my  orders.  An  electric  thread  connects  us.  I  telegraph 
to  it,  and  that  is  enough.” 

“Really,”  I  said,  astonished  at  these  marvels,  “notliing  can  be 
more  simple.” 

After  having  passed  by  the  cage  of  the  staircase  that  led  to  the 
platform,  I  saw  a  cabin  six  feet  long,  in  which  Conseil  and  Ned 
Land,  enchanted  with  their  repast,  were  devouring  it  with  avidity. 
Then  a  door  opened  into  a  kitchen  nine  feet  long,  situated  be¬ 
tween  the  large  storerooms.  There  electricity,  better  than  gas 
itself,  did  all  the  cooking.  The  streams  under  the  fmmaces  gave 
out  to  the  sponges  of  platina  a  heat  which  was  regularly  kept 
up  and  distributed.  They  also  heated  a  distilling  apparatus, 
which,  by  evaporation,  furnished  excellent  drinkable  water. 
Near  this  kitchen  was  a  bath-room  comfortably  furnished,  with 
hot  and  cold  water  taps. 

Next  to  the  kitchen  was  the  berth-room  of  the  vessel,  sixteen 
feet  long.  But  the  door  was  shut,  and  I  could  not  see  the  man¬ 
agement  of  it,  which  might  have  given  me  an  idea  of  the  num¬ 
ber  of  men  employed  on  board  the  Nautilus. 

At  the  bottom  was  a  fourth  partition,  that  separated  this  office 
from  the  engine-room.  A  door  opened,  and  I  found  myself  in 
the  compartment  where  Captain  Nemo  — certainly  an  engineer 
of  a  very  high  order — had  arranged  his  locomotive  machinery. 
This  engine-room,  clearly  lighted,  did  not  measure  less  than 
sixty-five  feet  in  length.  It  was  divided  into  two  parts  ;  the  first 
contained  the  materials  for  producing  electricity,  and  the  second 
the  machinery  that  connected  it  with  the  screw.  I  examined  it 
with  great  interest,  in  order  to  understand  the  machinery  of  the 
Nautilus. 

“You  see,”  said  the  captain,  “I  use  Bunsen’s  contrivances. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


70 


not  Ruhinl?:orff  s.  Those  would  not  have  been  powerful  enough. 
Bunsen’s  are  fewer  in  number,  but  strong  and  large,  which  ex¬ 
perience  proves  to  be  the  best.  The  electricity  produced  passes 
forward,  where  it  works,  by  electro-magnets  of  great  size,  on 
a  system  of  levers  and  cog-wheels  that  transmit  the  movement 
to  the  axle  of  the  screw.  This  one,  the  diameter  of  which  is 
nineteen  feet,  and  the  thread  twenty-three  feet,  performs  about 
a  hundred  and  twenty  revolutions  in  a  second.” 

“  And  you  get  then  ?  ” 

“  A  speed  of  fifty  miles  an  hour.” 

“  I  have  seen  the  Nautilus  manoeuver  before  the  Abraham 
Lincoln,  and  I  have  my  own  ideas  as  to  its  speed.  But  this  is 
not  enough.  We  must  see  where  we  go.  We  must  be  able  to 
direct  it  to  the  right,  to  the  left,  above,  below.  How  do  you  get 
to  the  great  depths,  where  you  find  an  increasing  resistance, 
which  is  rated  by  hundreds  of  atmospheres  ?  How  do  you  return 
to  the  surface  of  the  ocean  ?  And  how  do  you  maintain  your¬ 
selves  in  the  requisite  medium  ?  Am  I  asking  too  much  ?” 

“  Not  at  all.  Professor,”  rephed  the  captain,  with  some  hesita¬ 
tion  ;  “  since  you  may  never  leave  this  submarine  boat.  Come 
into  the  saloon,  it  is  our  usual  study,  and  there  you  will  learn  all 
you  want  to  know  about  the  Nautilus.” 


CHAPTER  XII. 


SOME  FIGUBES. 

A  MOMENT  after  we  were  seated  on  a  divan  in  the  saloon 
smoking.  The  captain  showed  me  a  sketch  that  gave  the  plan, 
section,  and  elevation  of  the  Nautilus.  Then  he  began  his 
description  in  these  words: — 

“  Here,  M.  Aronnax,  are  the  several  dimensions  of  the  boat 
you  are  in.  It  is  an  elongated  cylinder  with  conical  ends.  It  is 
very  like  a  cigar  in  shape,  a  shape  already  adopted  in  London 
in  several  constructions  of  the  same  sort.  The  length  of  this 
cylinder,  from  stem  to  stern,  is  exactly  232  feet,  and  its  maximum 
breadth  is  twenty -six  feet.  It  is  not  built  quite  like  yoim  long- 
voyage  steamers,  but  its  lines  are  sufficiently  long,  and  its  curves 
prolonged  enough,  to  allow  the  water  to  slide  off  easily,  and 
oppose  no  obstacle  to  its  passage.  These  two  dimensions  enable 
you  to  obtain  by  a  simple  calculation  the  surface  and  cubic  con¬ 
tents  of  tlie  Nautilus.  Its  area  measures  6,032  feet;  and  its  con¬ 
tents  about,  1,500  cubic  yards;  that  is  to  say,  when  completely 
immersed  it  displaces  50,000  feet  of  water,  or  weighs  1,500 
tons. 

“  When  I  made  the  plans  for  this  submarine  vessel,  I  meant 
that  nine  tenths  should  be  submerged;  consequently,  it  ought 
only  to  displace  nine  tenths  of  its  bulk,  that  is  to  say,  only  to 
weigh  that  number  of  tons.  I  ought  not,  therefore,  to  have  ex¬ 
ceeded  that  weight,  constructing  it  on  the  aforesaid  dimensions. 

“  The  Nautilus  is  composed  of  two  hulls,  one  inside,  the  other 
outside,  joined  by  T-shaped  irons,  which  render  it  very  strong. 
Indeed,  owing  to  this  cellular  arrangement  it  resists  like  a  block, 
as  if  it  were  solid.  Its  sides  can  not  yield;  it  coheres  spontane¬ 
ously,  and  not  by  the  closeness  of  its  rivets;  and  the  homogene- 

80 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  81 


it/  of  its  construction,  due  to  the  perfect  union  of  the  materials, 
enables  it  to  defy  the  roughest  seas. 

“  These  two  hulls  are  composed  of  steel  plates,  whose  density 
is  from  .7  to  .8  that  of  water.  The  first  is  not  less  than  two 
inches  and  a  half  thick,  and  weighs  394  tons.  The  second  en¬ 
velope,  the  keel,  twenty  inche  5  high  and  ten  thick,  weighs  alone 
sixty-two  tons.  The  engine,  the  ballast,  the  several  accessories 
and  apparatus  appendages,  the  partitions  and  bulkheads,  weigh 
961.62  tons.  Do  you  follow  all  this?”  “Ido.” 

“  Then,  when  the  Nautilus  is  afloat  under  these  circumstances, 
one  tenth  is  out  of  the  water.  Now,  if  I  have  made  reservoirs 
of  a  size  equal  to  this  tenth,  or  capable  of  holding  150  tons,  and 
if  I  fill  them  with  water,  the  boat,  weighing  then  1,507  tons,  wih 
be  completely  immersed.  That  would  happen.  Professor.  These 
reservoirs  are  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  Nautilus.  I  turn  on  taps 
and  they  fill,  and  the  vessel  sinks  that  had  just  been  level  with 
the  surface.” 

“  Well,  Captain,  but  now  we  come  to  the  real  difficulty.  I  can 
understand  your  rising  to  the  surface;  but  diving  below  the 
surface,  does  not  your  submarine  contrivance  encounter  a  press¬ 
ure,  and  consequently  midergo  an  upward  thrust  of  one  atmos¬ 
phere  for  every  thirty  feef  of  water,  just  about  fifteen  pounds 
per  square  inch?” 

“Just  so,  sir.” 

“  Then  unless  you  quite  fill  the  Nautilus,  I  do  not  see  how  you 
can  draw  it  down  to  those  depths.” 

“Professor,  you  must  not  confound  statics  with  dynamics,  or 
you  will  be  exposed  to  grave  errors.  There  is  very  little  labor 
spent  in  attaining  the  lower  regions  of  the  ocean,  for  all  bodies 
have  a  tendency  to  sink.  When  I  wanted  to  find  out  the  neces¬ 
sary  increase  of  weight  required  to  sink  the  Nautilus,  I  had  only 
tacalculate  the  reduction  of  volume  that  sea-water  acquires  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  depth.” 

“  That  is  evident.” 

“  Now,  if  water  is  not  absolutely  incompressible,  it  is  at  least 
capable  of  very  slight  compression.  Indeed,  after  the  most 
recent  calculations  this  reduction  is  only  .000136  of  an  atmos¬ 
phere  for  each  thirty  feet  of  depth.  If  we  want  to  sink  3,000 


82  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

feet,  I  should  keep  account  of  the  reduction  of  bulk  under  a 
pressure  equal  to  that  of  a  column  of  water  of  a  thousand  feet. 
The  calculation  is  easily  verified.  Now,  I  have  supplementary 
reservoirs  capable  of  holding  a  hundred  tons.  Therefore  I  can 
sink  to  a  considerable  depth.  When  I  wish  to  rise  to  the  level 
of  the  sea,  I  only  let  off  the  water,  and  empty  all  the  reservoirs 
if  I  want  the  Nautilus  to  emerge  from  the  tenth  part  of  her 
total  capacity.” 

I  had  nothing  to  object  to  these  reasonings. 

“I  admit  your  calculations.  Captain,”  I  replied ;  “I  should  be 
wrong  to  dispute  them  since  daily  experience  confirms  them  ; 
but  I  foresee  a  real  difficulty  in  the  way.” 

“  What,  sir  ?  ” 

“When  you  are  about  1,000  feet  deep,  the  walls  of  the  Nauti¬ 
lus  bear  a  pressure  of  100  atmospheres.  If,  then,  just  now  you 
were  to  empty  the  supplementary  reservoirs,  to  lighten  the  ves¬ 
sel,  and  to  go  up  to  the  surface,  the  pumps  must  overcome  the 
pressure  of  100  atmospheres,  which  is  1,500  lbs.  per  square 
inch.  From  that  a  power — ” 

“  That  electricity  alone  can  give,”  said  the  Captain,  hastily. 
“  I  repeat,  sir,  that  the  dynamic  power  of  my  engines  is  almost 
infinite.  The  pumps  of  the  Nautilus  have  an  enormous  power, 
as  you  must  have  observed  when  their  jets  of  water  burst  like 
a  torrent  upon  the  Abraham  Lincoln.  Besides,  I  use  subsidiary 
reservoirs  only  to  attain  a  mean  depth  of  750  to  1,000  fathoms, 
and  that  with  a  view  of  managing  my  machines.  Also,  when  I 
have  a  mind  to  visit  the  depths  of  the  ocean  five  or  six  miles 
below  the  surface,  I  make  use  of  slower  but  not  less  infallible 
means.” 

“  Wffiat  are  they.  Captain  ?” 

“That  involves  my  telhng  you  how  the  Nautilus  is  worked.” 

“  I  am  impatient  to  learn.” 

“  To  steer  this  boat  to  starboard  or  port,  to  turn,  in  a  word, 
following  a  horizontal  plan,  I  use  an  ordinary  rudder  fixed  on 
the  back  of  the  stern-post,  and  with  one  wheel  and  some  tackle 
to  steer  by.  But  I  can  also  make  the  Nautilus  rise  and  sink, 
and  sink  and  rise,  by  a  vertical  movement  by  means  of  two  in¬ 
clined  planes  fastened  to  its  sides,  opposite  the  center  of  flotar 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  83 


tion,  planes  that  move  in  every  direction,  and  that  are  worked 
by  powerful  levers  iroin  the  interior.  If  the  planes  are  kept 
parallel  with  the  boat,  it  moves  horizontally.  If  slanted,  the 
Nautilus,  according  to  this  inclination,  and  mider  the  influence 
of  the  screw,  either  sinks  diagonally  or  rises  diagonally  as  it 
suits  me.  And  even  if  I  wish  to  rise  more  quicldy  to  the  sur¬ 
face,  I  ship  the  screw,  and  the  pressure  of  the  water  causes  the 
Nautilus  to  rise  vertically  like  a  balloon  filled  with  hydrogen.” 

“  Bravo,  Captain !  But  h.ow  can  the  steersman  follow  the 
route  in  the  middle  of  the  waters  ?  ” 

“The  steersman  is  placed  in  a  glazed  box,  that  is  raised 
above  the  hull  of  the  Nautilus,  and  furnished  with  lenses.” 

“Are  these  lenses  capable  of  resisting  such  pressure  ?” 

“  Perfectly.  Glass,  which  breaks  at  a  blow,  is,  nevertheless, 
capable  of  offering  considerable  resistance.  During  some  ex¬ 
periments  of  fishing  by  electric  light  in  1864  in  the  Northern 
Seas,  we  saw  plates  less  than  a  third  of  an  inch  thick  resist 
a  pressure  of  sixteen  atmospheres.  Now,  the  glass  that  I  use 
is  not  less  than  thirty  times  thicker.” 

“Granted.  But,  after  all,  in  order  to  see,  the  light  must  ex¬ 
ceed  the  darkness,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  darkness  in  the  water, 
how  can  you  see  ?  ” 

“  Behind  the  steersman’s  cage  is  placed  a  powerful  electric 
reflector,  the  rays  from  which  light  up  the  sea  for  half  a  mile 
in  front.” 

“Ah!  bravo,  bravo.  Captain!  Now  I  can  account  for  this 
phosphorescence  in  the  supposed  narwhal  that  puzzled  us  so. 
I  now  ask  you  if  the  boarding  of  the  Nautilus  and  of  the  Scotia, 
that  has  made  such  a  noise,  has  been  the  result  of  a  chance 
rencontre  ?  ” 

“Quite  accidental,  sir.  I  was  sailing  only  one  fathom  below 
the  surface  of  the  water  when  the  shock  came.  It  had  no  bad 
result.” 

“None,  sir.  But  now,  about  your  rencontre  with  the  Abra¬ 
ham  Lincoln  ?  ” 

“Professor,  I  am  sorry  for  one  of  the  best  vessels  in  the 
American  navy  :  but  they  attacked  me,  and  I  was  bound  to  de¬ 
fend  myself.  I  contented  myself,  however,  with  putting  the 


84  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEll  THE  SEAS. 

ttigate  Iwrs  de  combat :  she  will  not  have  any  difficulty  in  get* 
ting  repaired  at  the  next  port.” 

“Ah,  Commander!  your  Nautilus  is  certainly  a  marvellous 
boat.” 

“  Yes,  Professor;  and  I  love  it  as  if  it  were  part  of  myself.  If 
danger  threatens  one  of  your  vessels  on  the  ocean,  the  first  im¬ 
pression  is  the  feeling  of  an  abyss  above  and  below.  On  the 
Nautilus  men’s  hearts  never  fail  them.  No  defects  to  be  afraid 
of,  for  the  double  shell  is  as  firm  as  iron;  no  rigging  to  attend 
to;  no  sails  for  the  Avind  to  carry  away;  no  boilers  to  burst;  no 
fire  to  fear,  for  the  vessel  is  made  of  u’on,  not  of  wood;  no  coal 
to  run  short,  for  electricity  is  the  only  mechanical  agent;  no 
collision  to  fear,  for  it  alone  lives  in  deep  wate»;  no  tempest  to 
brave,  for  when  it  dives  below  the  water,  it  reaches  absolute 
tranquillity.  There,  sir  I  that  is  the  perfection  of  vessels !  And 
if  it  is  true  that  the  engineer  has  more  confidence  in  the  vessel 
than  the  builder,  and  the  builder  than  the  captain  himself,  you 
understand  the  trust  I  repose  in  my  Nautilus;  for  I  am  at  once 
captain,  builder,  and  engineer.” 

“But  how  could  you  construct  this  wonderful  Nautilus  in 
secret?” 

“  Each  separate  portion,  M.  Aronnax,  was  brought  from  dif¬ 
ferent  parts  of  the  globe.  The  keel  was  forged  at  Creusot,  the 
shaft  of  the  screw  at  Penn  &  Co.’s,  London;  the  iron  plates  of 
the  hull  at  Laird’s,  of  Liverpool;  the  screw  itself  at  Scott’s, 
at  Glasgow.  The  reservoirs  were  made  by  Call  &  Co.,  at  Paris; 
the  engine  by  Krupp,  in  Prussia;  its  beak  in  Motala’s  workshop, 
in  Sweden;  its  mathematical  instruments  by  Hart  Brothers,  of 
New  York,  etc. ;  and  each  of  these  people  had  my  orders  under 
different  names.” 

“But  these  parts  had  to  be  put  together  and  arranged?” 

“  Professor,  I  had  set  up  my  workshops  upon  a  desert  island 
in  the  ocean.  There  my  workmen,  that  is  to  say,  the  brave  men 
that  I  instructed  and  educated,  and  myself  have  put  together 
our  Nautilus.  Then,  when  the  work  was  finished,  fire  destroyed 
all  trace  of  our  proceedings  on  this  island,  that  I  could  have 
jumped  over  if  I  had  liked.” 

“  Then  the  cost  of  tliis  vessel  is  great?  ” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  ULDEH  THE  SEAS,  ^5 


“M.  Aronnax,  an  iron  vessel  costs  £45  per  ton.  Now  the 
S^autilus  weighed  1,500.  It  came  therefore  to  £67,500,  and 
£80,000  more  for  fitting  it  up,  and  about  £200,000  with  the  works 
of  art  and  the  collections  it  contains.” 

“  One  last  question.  Captain  Nemo.” 

“  Ask  it.  Professor.” 

“You  are  rich?” 

“  Immensely  rich,  sir;  and  I  could,  without  missing  it,  pay  the 
national  debt  of  France.” 

I  stared  at  the  singular  person  who  spoke  thus.  Was  he 
playing  unon  my  credulity?  The  future  would  decide  that 


CHAPTER  XIII 


Tlj;  BLAC.1  EIVEB. 

The  portion  of  the  terrestrial  globe  which  is  covered  by  watei 
is  estimated  at  upwards  of  eighty  millions  of  acres.  This  fluid 
mass  comprises  two  billions  two  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of 
cubic  miles,  forming  a  spherical  body  of  a  diameter  of  sixty 
leagues,  the  weight  of  which  would  be  three  quintillions  of 
tons.  To  comprehend  the  meaning  of  these  figures,  it  is  neces¬ 
sary  to  observe  that  a  quintillion  is  to  a  billion  as  a  billion  is  to 
unity;  in  other  words,  there  are  as  many  billions  in  a  quintillion 
as  there  are  units  in  a  billion.  This  mass  of  fluid  is  equal  to 
about  the  quantity  of  water  which  would  be  discharged  by  aU 
the  rivers  of  the  earth  in  forty  thousand  years. 

During  the  geological  epochs,  the  igneous  period  succeeded 
to  the  aqueous.  The  ocean  originally  prevailed  everywhere. 
Then  by  degrees,  in  the  Silurian  period,  the  tops  of  the  mount¬ 
ains  began  to  appear,  the  islands  emerged,  then  disappeared  in 
partial  deluges,  reappeared,  became  settled,  formed  continents, 
till  at  length  the  earth  became  geographically  arranged  as  we 
see  in  the  present  day.  The  solid  had  wrested  from  the  liquid 
thirty-seven  million  six  hundred  and  fifty-seven  square  miles, 
equal  to  twelve  biUions  nine  hundred  and  sixty  millions  of 
acres. 

The  shape  of  continents  allows  us  to  divide  the  waters  into 
five  great  portions:  the  Arctic  or  Frozen  Ocean,  the  Antarctic 
or  Frozen  Ocean,  the  Indian,  the  Atlantic,  and  the  Pacific 
Oceans. 

The  Pacific  Ocean  extends  from  north  to  south  between  the 
two  polar  circles,  and  from  east  to  west  between  Asia  and 
America,  over  an  extent  of  1 15  degrees  of  iongitude.  It  is  the 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


87 


quietest  of  seas;  its  currents  are  broad  and  slow,  it  has 
medium  tides  and  abundant  rain.  Such  was  the  ocean  that  my 
fate  destined  me  first  to  travel  over  under  these  strange  con¬ 
ditions. 

“  Sir,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  “  we  will,  if  you  please,  take  our 
bearings  and  fix  the  starting-point  of  this  voyage.  It  is  a  quarter 
to  twelve,  I  will  go  up  again  to  the  surface.” 

The  captain  pressed  an  electric  clock  three  times.  The  pumps 
began  to  drive  the  water  from  the  tanks;  the  needle  of  the  ma¬ 
nometer  marked  by  a  different  pressure  the  ascent  of  the  Nau¬ 
tilus,  then  it  stopped. 

“  We  have  arrived,”  said  the  captain. 

I  went  to  the  central  staircase  which  opened  on  to  the  plat¬ 
form,  clambered  up  the  iron  steps,  and  found  myself  on  the 
upper  part  of  the  Nautilus. 

The  platform  was  only  three  feet  out  of  water.  The  front 
and  back  of  the  Nautilus  was  of  that  spindle-shape  which  caused 
it  justly  to  be  compared  to  a  cigar.  I  noticed  that  its  iron  plates, 
slightly  overlaying  each  other,  resembled  the  shell  which  clothes 
the  bodies  of  our  large  terrestrial  reptiles.  It  explained  to  me 
how  natural  it  was,  in  spite  of  all  glasses,  that  this  boat  should 
have  been  taken  for  a  marine  animal. 

Towards  the  middle  of  the  platform  the  long-boat,  half  buried 
in  the  hull  of  the  vessel,  formed  a  slight  excrescence.  Fore  and 
aft  rose  two  cages  of  medium  height  with  inclined  sides,  and 
partly  closed  by  thick  lenticular  glasses;  one  destined  for  the 
steersman  who  directed  the  Nautilus,  the  other  containing  a 
brilliant  lantern  to  give  light  on  the  road. 

The  sea  was  beautiful,  the  sky  pure.  Scarcely  could  the  long 
vehicle  feel  the  broad  undulations  of  the  ocean.  A  light  breeze 
from  the  east  rippled  the  surface  of  the  waters.  The  horizon, 
free  from  fog,  made  observation  easy.  Nothing  was  in  sight. 
Not  a  quicksand,  not  an  island.  A  vast  desert. 

Captain  Nemo,  by  the  help  of  his  sextant,  took  the  altitude  of 
the  smi,  which  ought  also  to  give  the  latitude.  He  waited  for 
some  moments  till  its  disc  touched  the  horizon.  Whilst  taking 
observations  not  a  muscle  moved,  the  instrument  could  not  have 
been  more  motionless  in  a  hand  of  marble. 

7 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  tJNDEN  THE  SEAS. 


“  Twelve  o’clock,  sir,”  said  he.  “  When  you  like  — ” 

I  cast  a  last  look  upon  the  sea,  slightly  yellowed  by  the  Jap¬ 
anese  coast,  and  descended  to  the  saloon. 

“  And  now,  sir,  I  leave  you  to  your  studies,”  added  the  captain; 
“  our  course  is  E.N.E.,  our  depth  is  twenty-six  fathoms.  Here 
are  maps  on  a  large  scale  by  which  you  may  follow  it.  The  sa¬ 
loon  is  at  your  disposal,  and  with  your  permission  I  will  retire.” 
Captain  Nemo  bowed,  and  I  remained  alone,  lost  in  thoughts  all 
bearing  on  the  commander  of  the  Nautilus. 

For  a  whole  hour  was  I  deep  in  these  reflections,  seeking  to 
pierce  this  mystery  so  interesting  to  me.  Then  my  eyes  fell  upon 
the  vast  planisphere  spread  upon  the  table,  and  I  placed  my 
finger  on  the  very  spot  where  the  given  latitude  and  longitude 
crossed. 

The  sea  has  its  large  rivers  like  the  continents.  They  are 
special  currents  known  by  their  temperature  and  their  color. 
The  most  remarkable  of  these  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Gulf 
Stream.  Science  has  decided  on  the  globe  the  direction  of  five 
principal  currents:  one  in  the  North  Atlantic,  a  second  in  the 
South,  a  third  in  the  North  Pacific,  a  fourth  in  the  South,  and  a 
fifth  in  the  Southern  Indian  Ocean.  It  is  even  probable  that  a 
slxtu  current  existed  at  one  time  or  another  in  the  Northern  In¬ 
dian  Ocean,  when  the  Caspian  and  Aral  Seas  formed  but  one 
vast  sheet  of  water. 

Ai  this  point  indicated  on  the  planisphere  one  of  these  cur- 
i«ntb  was  rolling,  the  Kuro-Scivo  of  the  Japanese,  the  Black 
River,  which,  leaving  the  Gulf  of  Bengal  where  it  is  warmed  by 
the  perpendicular  rays  of  a  tropical  sun,  crosses  the  Straits  of 
Malacca  along  the  cost  of  Asia,  turns  into  the  North  Pacific  to 
the  Aleutian  Islands,  carrying  with  it  trunks  of  camphor-trees 
and  uner  indigenous  productions,  and  edging  the  waves  of  the 
ocean  with  the  pure  indigo  of  its  warm  water.  It  was  this  cur¬ 
rent  tliat  the  Nautilus  was  to  follow.  I  followed  it  with  my  eye; 
saw  it  lose  itself  in  the  vastness  of  the  Pacific,  and  felt  myself 
drawn  with  it,  when  Ned  Land  and  Conseil  appeared  at  the  door 
of  the  saloon. 

My  two  brave  companions  remained  i^trified  at  the  sight  of 
the  wonders  spread  before  them. 


t\y2.\'TY  I'lIOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNUER  THE  SEAS.  8d 


“  Where  {iro  we,  where  are  we  ?  ”  exclaimed  the  Canadian. 
“  In  the  museum  at  Quebec  ?  ” 

“  My  friends,”  I  answered,  making  a  sign  for  them  to  enter, 
“  you  are  not  in  Canada,  but  on  board  the  Nautilus,  fifty  yards 
below  the  level  of  the  sea.” 

“  But,  M.  Aronnax,”  said  Ned  Land,  “  can  you  tell  me  how 
many  men  there  are  on  board  ?  Ten,  twenty,  fifty,  a  hun¬ 
dred  ?  ” 

“I  can  not  answer  you,  Mr.  Land;  it  is  better  to  abandon  for 
a  time  all  idea  of  seizing  the  Naut-ilus  or  escaping  from  it. 
This  ship  is  a  masterpiece  of  modern  industry,  and  I  should  be 
sorry  not  to  have  seen  it.  Many  people  would  accept  the  situa¬ 
tion  forced  upon  us,  if  only  to  move  amongst  such  wonders. 
So  be  quiet  and  let  us  try  and  see  what  passes  aromid  us.” 

“  See  I  ”  exclaimed  the  harpooner,  “  but  we  can  see  nothing 
In  this  iron  prison !  We  are  walking — we  are  sailing— blindly.” 

Ned  Land  had  scarcely  pronounced  these  words  when  all  was 
suddenly  darkness.  The  luminous  ceiling  was  gone,  and  so 
rapidly  that  my  eyes  received  a  painful  impressiofi. 

We  remained  mute,  not  stirring,  and  not  knowing  what  sur¬ 
prise  awaited  us,  whether  agreeable  or  disagreeable.  A  sliding 
noise  was  heard;  one  would  have  said  that  panels  were  work¬ 
ing  at  the  sides  of  the  Nautilus. 

“  It  is  the  end  of  the  end  !  ”  said  Ned  Land. 

Suddenly  light  broke  at  each  side  of  the  saloon,  through  two 
oblong  openings.  The  liquid  mass  appeared  vividly  lit  up  by 
the*electric  gleam.  Two  crystal  plates  separated  us  from  the 
sea.  At  first  I  trembled  at  the  thought  that  this  fraU  partition 
might  break,  but  strong  bands  of  copper  bound  them,  giving 
an  almost  infinite  power  of  resistance. 

The  sea  was  distinctly  visible  for  a  mile  aU  round  the  Nauti¬ 
lus.  What  a  spectacle !  VvTiat  pen  can  describe  it  ?  Who 
could  paint  the  effects  of  the  light  through  those  transparent 
sheets  of  water,  and  the  softness  of  the  successive  gradations 
from  the  lower  to  the  superior  strata  of  the  ocean  ? 

We  know  the  transparency  of  the  sea,  and  that  its  clearness 
is  far  beyond  that  of  rock  water.  The  mineral  and  organic 
substances  which  it  holds  in  suspension  heighten  its  transpar- 

7 


Do  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

ency.  In  certain  parts  of  the  ocean  at  the  Antilles,  under  sev¬ 
enty-five  fathoms  of  water,  can  be  seen  with  surprising  clear¬ 
ness  a  bed  of  sand.  The  penetrating  power  of  the  solar  rays 
does  not  seem  to  cease  for  a  depth  of  ,pne  hundred  and  fifty 
fathoms.  But  in  this  middle  fluid  travelled  over  by  the 
Nautilus  the  electric  brightness  was  produced  even  in  the 
bosom  of  the  waves.  It  was  no  longer  luminous  water,  but 
liquid  light. 

On  each  side  a  window  opened  into  this  unexplored  abyss. 
The  obscurity  of  the  saloon  show^ed  to  advantage  the  brightness 
outside,  and  we  looked  out  as  if  this  pure  crystal  had  been  the 
glass  of  an  immense  aquarium. 

“You  wished  to  see,  friend  Ned;  well,  you  see  now.” 

“  Curious !  Curious !  ”  muttered  the  Canadian,  who,  forget¬ 
ting  his  ill-temper,  seemed  to  submit  to  some  irresistible  attrac¬ 
tion;  “and  one  would  come  farther  than  this  to  admire  such  a 
sight!” 

“  Ah  !  ”  thought  I  to  myself,  “  I  understand  the  life  of  this 
man ;  he  has  made  a  world  apart  for  himself,  in  which  he  treas¬ 
ures  all  his  greatest  wonders.” 

For  two  whole  hours  an  aquatic  army  escorted  the  Nautilus. 
During  their  games,  their  bounds,  while  rivalling  each  other  in 
beauty,  brightness,  and  velocity,  I  distinguished  the  green  la- 
bre;  the  banded  mullet,  marked  by  a  double  line  of  black;  the 
round-tailed  goby,  of  a  wdiite  color,  with  violet  spots  on  the 
back;  the  Japanese  scrombrus,  a  beautiful  mackerel  of  these 
seas,  with  a  blue  body  and  silvery  head;  the  brilliant  azurors, 
whose  name  alone  defies  description;  some  banded  spares,  with 
variegated  fins  of  blue  and  yellow;  some  aclostones,  the  wood¬ 
cocks  of  the  seas,  some  specimens  of  which  attain  a  yard  in^ 
length;  Japanese  salamanders,  spider  lampreys,  serpents  six 
feet  long,  with  eyes  small  and  lively,  and  a  huge  mouth  brist¬ 
ling  with  teeth ;  with  many  other  species. 

Our  imagination  was  kept  at  its  height,  interjections  followed 
quickly  on  each  other.  Ned  named  the  fish,  and  Coneeil  classed 
them.  I  was  in  ecstasies  with  the  vivacity  of  their  movements 
and  the  beauty  of  their  forms.  Never  had  it  been  given  to  me 
to  surprise  these  animals,  alive  an^*  it  liberty,  in  their  natural 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER,  THE  SEAS. 


element.  I  will  not  mention  all  the  varieties  which  passed  be¬ 
fore  my  dazzled  eyes,  all  the  collection  of  the  seas  of  China  and 
Japan.  These  fish,  more  numerous  than  the  birds  of  the  air, 
came,  attracted,  no  doubt,  by  the  brilliant  focus  of  the  electric 
light. 

Suddenly  there  was  daylight  in  the  saloon,  the  iron  panels 
closed  again,  and  the  enchanting  vision  disappeared.  But  for  a 
long  time  I  dreamt  on  till  my  eyes  fell  on  the  instruments  hang¬ 
ing  on  the  partition.  The  compass  still  showed  the  course  to  be 
E.N.E.,  the  manometer  indicated  a  pressure  of  five  atmospheres, 
equivalent  to  a  depth  of  twenty-five  fathoms,  and  the  electric 
log  gave  a  speed  of  fifteen  miles  an  hour.  I  expected  Captain 
Nemo,  but  he  did  not  appear.  The  clock  marked  the  hour  of 
five. 

Ned  Land  and  Conseil  returned  to  their  cabin,  and  I  retired  to 
my  chamber.  My  dinner  was  ready.  It  was  composed  of  tur¬ 
tle-soup  made  of  the  most  delicate  hawksbills,  of  a  surmullet 
served  with  puff  paste  (the  liver  of  which,  prepared  by  itself, 
was  most  delicious),  and  fillets  of  the  emperor-holocanthus,  the 
savor  of  which  seemed  to  me  superior  even  to  salmon. 

I  passed  the  evening  reading,  writing  and  thinking.  Then 
sleep  overpowered  me,  and  I  stretched  myself  on  my  couch  of 
zostera,  and  slept  profoundly,  whilst  the  Nautilus  was  gliding 
rapidly  through  the  current  of  the  Black  River. 


V 


CHAPTER  XIV, 


A  NOTE  OF  INVITATION. 

The  next  day  was  the  9th  of  November.  I  awoke  after  a  long 
sleep  of  twelve  hours.  Conseil  came,  according  to  custom,  to 
know  “how  I  had  passed  the  night,”  and  to  offer  his  services. 
He  had  left  his  friend  the  Canadian  sleeping  like  a  man  who  had 
never  done  anything  else  all  his  life.  I  let  the  worthy  fellow 
chatter  as  he  pleased,  without  caring  to  answer  liim.  I  was  pre¬ 
occupied  by  the  absence  of  the  captain  during  our  sitting  of  the 
day  before,  and  hoping  to  see  him  to-day. 

As  soon  as  I  was  dressed  I  went  into  the  saloon.  It  was  de¬ 
serted. 

I  plmiged  into  the  study  of  the  conchological  treasures  hidden 
behind  the  glasses.  I  revelled  also  in  great  herbals  filled  with 
the  rarest  marine  plants,  which,  although  dried  up,  retained 
their  lovely  colors.  Amongst  these  precious  hydrophytes  I  re¬ 
marked  some  vorticellse,  pavonarise,  delicate  ceramies  with  scar¬ 
let  tints,  some  fan-shaped  agari,  and  some  natabuli  hke  flat 
mushrooms,  which  at  one  time  used  to  be  classed  as  zoophjdes; 
in  short,  a  perfect  series  of  algce. 

The  whole  day  passed  without  my  being  honored  by  a  visit 
from  Captain  Nemo.  The  panels  of  the  saloon  did  not  open. 
Perhaps  they  did  not  wish  us  to  tire  of  these  beautiful  things. 

The  course  of  the  Nautilus  was  E.N.E.,  her  speed  twelve  knots, 
the  depth  below  the  surface  between  twenty-five  and  thirty 
fathoms. 

The  next  day,  10th  of  November,  the  same  desertion,  the  same 
solitude.  I  did  not  see  one  of  the  ship’s  crew:  Ned  and  Conseil 
spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  with  me.  They  were  aston¬ 
ished  at  the  inexpUcable  absence  of  the  captain.  Was  this  sin- 

92 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


93 


gular  man  ill?  had  he  altered  his  intentions  with  regard 
to  us? 

After  all,  as  Conseil  said,  we  enjoyed  perfect  liberty,  we  were 
delicately  and  abundantly  fed.  Our  host  kept  to  his  terms  of 
tfie  treaty.  We  could  not  complain,  and,  indeed,  the  singularity 
of  our  fate  reserved  such  wonderful  compensation  for  us,  that 
we  had  no  right  to  accuse  it  as  yet. 

That  day  I  commenced  the  journal  of  these  adventures  which 
has  enabled  me  to  relate  them  with  more  scrupulous  exactitude 
and  minute  detail.  I  wrote  it  on  paper  made  from  the  zostera 
marina. 

11th  November,  early  in  the  morning.  The  fresh  air  spread¬ 
ing  over  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus,  told  me  that  we  had  come 
to  the  surface  of  the  ocean  to  renew  our  supply  of  oxygen.  I 
directed  my  steps  to  the  central  staircase,  and  mounted  the 
platform. 

It  was  six  o’clock,  the  weather  was  cloudy,  the  sea  gray  but 
calm.  Scarcely  a  biUow.  Captain  Nemo,  whom  I  hoped  to  meet, 
would  he  be  there  ?  I  saw  no  one  but  the  steersman  imprisoned 
in  his  glass  cage.  Seated  upon  the  projection  formed  by  the 
huh  of  the  pinnace,  I  inhaled  the  salt  breeze  with  delight. 

By  degrees  the  fog  disappeared  under  the  action  of  the  sun’s 
rays,  the  radiant  orb  rose  from  behind  the  eastern  horizon. 
The  sea  flamed  under  its  glance  hke  a  train  of  gunpowdw. 
The  clouds  scattered  in  the  heights  were  colored  with  lively 
tints  of  beautiful  shades,  and  numerous  “  mare’s  tails,”  which 
betokened  wind  for  that  day.  But  what  was  wind  to  this 
Nautilus,  which  tempests  could  not  frighten ! 

I  was  admiring  this  joyous  rising  of  the  sun,  so  gay,  and  so 
life-giving,  when  I  heard  steps  approaching  the  platform.  I 
was  prepared  to  salute  Captain  Nemo,  but  it  was  his  second 
(whom  I  had  already  seen  on  the  captain’s  first  visit)  who  ap¬ 
peared.  He  advanced  on  the  platform,  not  seeming  to  see  me. 
With  his  powerful  glass  to  his  eye  he  scanned  every  point  of 
the  horizon  with  great  attention.  This  examination  over,  he 
approached  the  panel  and  pronounced  a  sentence  in  exactly  these 
terms.  I  have  remembered  it,  for  every  morning  it  was  repeated 
under  exactly  the  same  conditions.  It  was  thus  worded :  — 


94  twentv  thousand  leagues  under  the  seas. 

“Nautron  respoc  lomi  virch.” 

What  it  mea.  1 1  could  not  say. 

These  words  pronounced,  the  second  descended.  I  thought 
that  the  Nautilus  was  about  to  return  to  its  submarine  naviga¬ 
tion.  I  regained  the  panel  and  returned  to  my  chamber. 

Five  days  sped  thus,  without  any  change  in  our  situation. 
Every  morning  I  momited  the  platform.  The  same  phrase  was 
pronounced  by  the  same  individuaL  But  Captam  Nemo  did 
not  appear. 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  I  should  never  see  him  again, 
when,  on  the  16th  November,  on  returning  to  my  room  with 
Ned  and  Conseil,  I  found  upon  my  table  a  note  addressed  to 
me.  I  opened  it  impatiently.  It  was  written  in  a  bold,  clear 
hand,  the  characters  rather  pointed,  recalling  the  German  type. 
The  note  was  worded  as  follows  :  — 

“To  Professor  Aronnax,  on  'board  the  Nautilm. 

“  16th  of  November,  1867. 

“  Captain  Nemo  invites  Professor  Aronnax  to  a  hunting-party, 
which  will  take  place  to-morrow  morning  in  the  forests  of  the 
island  of  Crespo.  He  hopes  that  nothing  will  prevent  the  Pro¬ 
fessor  from  being  present,  and  he  will  with  pleasure  see  him 
joined  by  his  companions. 

“  Captain  Nemo,  Commander  of  the  Nautilus.” 

“A  hunt !  ”  exclaimed  Ned. 

“And  in  the  forests  of  the  island  of  Crespo !”  added  ConseiL 

“O,  then  the  gentleman  is  going  on  terra  firma  f  ”  replied 
Ned  Land. 

“  That  seems  to  me  to  be  clearly  indicated,”  said  I,  reading 
the  letter’once  more. 

“  Well,  we  must  accept,”  said  the  Canadian.  “  But  once  more 
on  dry  ground,  we  shall  know  what  to  do.  Indeed,  I  shall  not 
be  sorry  to  eat  a  piece  of  fresh  venison.” 

Without  seeking  to  reconcile  what  was  contradictory  be¬ 
tween  Captain  Nemo’s  manifest  aversion  to  islands  and  conti¬ 
nents,  and  his  invitation  to  hunt  in  a  forest,  I  contented  myself 
with  replying, — 

“Let  us  first  see  where  the  island  of  Crespo  is.” 


TWEI^TY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  95 


I  consulted  the  planisphere,  and  in  32°  40'  north  lat.,  and  167“ 
60'  West  long.,  I  found  a  small  island,  recognized  in  1801  hy 
Captain  Crespo,  and  marked  in  the  ancient  Spanish  maps  as 
Rocca  de  la  Plata,  the  meaning  of  which  is  “  The  Silver  Rock.” 
We  were  then  about  eighteen  hundred  miles  from  our  starting- 
point,  and  the  course  of  the  Nautilus,  a  httle  changed,  was 
bringing  it  back  towards  the  southeast.  I  showed  this  httle 
rock  lost  in  the  midst  of  the  North  Pacific  to  my  companions. 

“If  Captain  Nemo  does  sometimes  go  on  dry  ground,”  said  I, 
“he  at  least  chooses  desert  islands.” 

Ned  Land  shrugged  his  shoulders  without  speaking,  and 
Conseil  and  he  left  me. 

After  supper,  which  was  served  by  the  steward,  mute  and 
impassible,  I  went  to  bed,  not  without  some  anxiety. 

The  next  morning,  the  17th  of  November,  on  awakening  I 
felt  that  the  Nautilus  was  perfectly  stiU.  I  dressed  quickly  and 
entered  the  saloon. 

Captain  Nemo  was  there,  waiting  for  me.  He  rose,  bowed, 
and  asked  me  if  it  was  convenient  for  me  to  accompany  him. 
As  he  made  no  allusion  to  his  absence  during  the  last  eight 
days,  I  did  not  mention  it,  and  simply  answered  that  my  com¬ 
panions  and  myself  were  ready  to  follow  him. 

We  entered  the  dining-room,  where  breakfast  was  served. 

“M.  Aronnax,”  said  the  captain,  “pray  share  my  breakfast 
without  ceremony;  we  will  chat  as  we  eat.  For  though  I  prom¬ 
ised  you  a  walk  in  the  forest,  I  did  not  undertake  to  find  hotels 
there.  So  breakfast  as  a  man  who  will  most  likely  not  have  his 
dinner  till  very  late.” 

I  did  honor  to  the  repast.  It  was  composed  of  several  kinds 
of  fish,  and  slices  of  holothuridse  (excellent  zoophytes),  and 
different  sorts  of  sea  -weed.  Our  drink  consisted  of  pure  water, 
to  which  the  Captain  added  some  drops  of  a  fermented  liquor, 
extracted  by  the  Kamschatcha  method  from  a  sea-weed  known 
under  the  name  of  RTwdomenia  'palmata.  Captain  Nemo  ate 
at  first  without  saying  a  word.  Then  he  began,-- 

“  Sir,  when  I  proposed  to  you  to  hunt  in  my  submarine  forest 
of  Crespo,  you  e\adently  thought  me  mad.  Sir,  you  should  never 
judge  lightly  of  any  man.” 


96  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“But,  Captain,  believe  me~” 

“Be  kind  enough  to  listen,  and  you  will  then  see  whether  you 
have  any  cause  to  accuse  me  of  folly  and  contradiction.” 

“Ihsten.” 

“You  know  as  well  as  I  do.  Professor,  that  man  can  live 
under  water,  providing  he  carries  with  him  a  sufficient  supply 
of  breathable  air.  In  submarine  works,  the  workman,  clad  in 
an  impervious  dress,  with  his  head  in  a  metal  helmet,  receives 
air  from  above  by  means  of  forcmg-pumps  and  regulators.” 

“  That  is  a  diving  apparatus,”  said  I. 

“Just  so;  but  under  these  conditions  the  man  is  not  at  liberty; 
he  is  attached  to  the  pump  which  sends  him  air  through  an  in¬ 
dia-rubber  tube,  and  if  we  were  obUged  to  be  thus  held  to  the 
Nautilus,  we  could  not  go  far.” 

“And  the  means  of  getting  free?”  I  asked. 

“It  is  to  use  the  Rouquayrol  apparatus,  invented  by  two  of 
your  own  countrymen,  which  I  have  brought  to  perfection  for 
my  own  use,  and  which  will  allow  you  to  risk  yourselC  mider 
these  new  physiological  conditions,  without  any  organ  what" 
ever  suffering.  It  consists  of  a  reservoir  of  thick  iron  plates,  in 
which  I  store  the  air  under  a  pressure  of  fifty  atmospheres. 
This  reservoir  is  fixed  on  the  back  by  means  of  braces,  like  a 
soldier’s  knapsack.  Its  upper  part  forms  a  box  in  which  the  air 
is  kept  by  means  of  a  bellows,  and  therefore  can  not  escape 
unless  at  its  normal  tension.  In  the  Rouquayrol  apparatus  such 
as  we  use,  two  india-rubber  pipes  leave  this  box  and  join  a  sort 
of  tent  which  holds  the  nose  and  mouth;  one  is  to  introduce 
fresh  air,  the  other  to  let  out  the  foul,  and  the  tongue  closes  one 
or  the  other  according  to  the  wants  of  the  respirator.  But  I,  in 
encomitering  great  pressures  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  was 
obliged  to  shut  my  head,  like  that  of  a  diver,  in  a  ball  of  copper; 
and  it  is  to  this  ball  of  copper  that  the  two  pipes,  the  inspirator 
and  the  expirator,  open.” 

“Perfectly,  Captain  Nemo;  but  the  air  that  you  carry  with 
you  must  soon  be  used;  when  it  only  contains  fifteen  per  cent, 
af  oxygen,  it  is  no  longer  fit  to  breathe.” 

“Right!  but  I  told  you,  M.  Aronnax,  that  the  pumps  of  the 
^^autilus  allow  me  to  store  the  air  under  considerable  pressure; 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  9T 


and  on  those  conditions,  the  reservoir  of  the  apparatus  can  fur¬ 
nish  breathable  air  for  nine  or  ten  hours.” 

“I  have  no  further  objections  to  make,”  I  answered;  “I  will 
only  ask  you  one  thing,  Captain, — how  can  you  light  your  road 
at  the  bottom  of  the  sea?” 

“With  the  Ruhmkorff  apparatus,  M.  Aronnax;  one  Is  carried 
on  the  back,  the  other  is  fastened  to  the  waist.  It  is  composed 
of  a  Bunsen  pile,  which  I  do  not  work  with  bichromate  of  pot¬ 
ash,  but  with  sodium.  A  wire  is  mtroduced  which  collects  the 
electricity  produced,  and  directs  it  towards  a  particularly  made 
lantern.  In  this  lantern  is  a  spiral  glass  which  contains  a  small 
quantity  of  carbonic  gas.  When  the  apparatus  is  at  work,  this 
gas  becomes  luminous,  giving  out  a  white  and  continuous  light. 
Thus  provided,  I  can  breathe  and  I  can  see.” 

“Captain  Nemo,  to  all  my  objections  you  make  such  crushing 
answers,  that  I  dare  no  longer  doubt.  But  if  I  am  forced  to 
admit  the  Rouquayrol  and  Ruhmkorff  apparatus,  I  must  be 
allowed  some  reservations  with  regard  to  the  gun  I  am  to  carry.” 

“But  it  is  not  a  gun  for  powder,”  answered  the  captain. 

“  Then  it  is  an  air-gun.” 

“Doubtless!  How  would  you  have  me  manufacture  gun¬ 
powder  on  board,  without  either  saltpetre,  sulphur,  or  charcoal?” 

“  Besides,”  I  added,  “  to  fire  under  water  in  a  medium  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-five  times  denser  than  the  air,  we  must  con¬ 
quer  very  considerable  resistance.” 

“  That  would  be  no  difficulty.  There  exist  guns,  according  to 
Fulton,  perfected  in  England  by  Philip  Coles  and  Burley,  in 
France  by  Furcy,  and  in  Italy  by  Landi,  which  are  furnished 
with  a  peculiar  system  of  closing,  which  can  fire  under  these 
conditions.  But  I  repeat,  having  no  powder,  I  use  air  under 
great  pressure,  wliich  the  pumps  of  tiie  Nautilus  furnish  abun¬ 
dantly.” 

“  But  this  air  must  be  rapidly  used?” 

“  Well,  have  I  not  my  Rouquayrol  reservoir,  which  can  furnish 
it  at  need?  A  tap  is  all  that  is  required.  Besides,  M.  Aronnax, 
you  must  see  yoimseif  that,  during  our  submarine  hunt,  we  can 
spend  but  little  air  and  but  few  balls.” 

“  But  it  seems  to  me  that  in  this  twilight,  and  in  the  midst  of 


03  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

this  fluid,  which  is  very  dense  compared  with  the  atmosphere!, 
shots  could  not  go  far,  nor  easily  prove  mortal.” 

“  Sh',  on  the  contrary,  with  this  gun  every  blow  is  mortal;  and 
however  hghtly  the  animal  is  touched,  it  falls  as  if  struck  by  a 
thunderbolt.”  “Why?” 

“  Because  the  balls  sent  by  this  gun  are  not  ordinary  balls,  but 
little  cases  of  glass  (invented  by  Leniebroek,  an  Austrian  chem¬ 
ist),  of  which  I  have  a  large  supply.  These  glass  cases  are 
covered  with  a  case  of  steel,  and  weighted  with  a  pellet  of  lead; 
they  are  real  Leyden  bottles,  into  which  the  electricity  is  forced 
to  a  very  high  tension.  With  the  slightest-  shock  they  are  dis¬ 
charged,  and  the  animal,  however  strong  it  may  be,  falls  dead. 
I  must  tell  you  that  these  cases  are  size  number  four,  and  that 
the  charge  for  an  ordinary  gun  would  be  ten.” 

“I  will  argue  no  longer,”  I  replied,  rising  from  the  table ;  “I 
have  nothing  left  me  but  to  take  my  gun.  At  all-  events,  I  will 
go  where  you  go.” 

Captain  Nemo  then  led  me  aft;  and  in  passing  before  Ned  and 
Conseil’s  cabin,  I  called  my  two  companions,  who  followed  im¬ 
mediately.  We  then  came  to  a  kind  of  cell  near  the  machinery- 
room,  in  which  we  were  to  put  on  our  walking-dress. 


CHAPTER  XV 


THE  BOTTOM  OF  THE  SEA. 

This  cell  was,  to  speak  correctly,  the  arsenal  and  wardrobe  of 
the  Nautilus.  A  dozen  diving  apparatuses  hung  from  the  parti¬ 
tion,  w'aiting  our  use. 

Ned  Land,  on  seeing  them,  showed  evident  repugnance  to 
dress  himself  in  one. 

“  But,  my  worthy  Ned,  the  forests  of  the  Island  of  Crespo  are 
nothing  but  submarine  forests.” 

“Good!”  said  the  disappointed  harpooner,  who  saw  his 
dreams  of  fresh  meat  fade  away.  “And  you,  M.  Aronnax,  are 
you  going  to  dress  yourself  in  those  clothes?” 

“  There  is  no  alternative.  Master  Ned.” 

“As  you  please,  sir,”  replied  the  harpooner,  shrugging  his 
shoulders;  “but  as  for  me,  unless  I  am  forced,  I  will  never  get 
into  one.” 

“  No  one  will  force  you.  Master  Ned,”  said  Captain  Nemo. 

“  Is  Conseil  going  to  risk  it?”  asked  Ned. 

“  I  follow  my  master  wherever  he  goes,”  replied  Conseil. 

At  the  captain’s  call  two  of  the  ship’s  crew  came  to  help  us  to 
dress  in  these  heavy  and  impervious  clothes,  made  of  india-rub¬ 
ber  without  seam,  and  constructed  expressly  to  resist  consider¬ 
able  pressure.  One  would  have  thought  it  a  suit  of  armor,  both 
supple  and  resisting.  This  suit  formed  trousers  and  waistcoat. 
The  trousers  were  finished  off  with  thick  boots,  weighted  with 
heavy  leaden  soles.  The  texture  of  the  waistcoat  was  held 
together  by  bands  of  copper,  which  crossed  the  chest,  protecting 
it  from  the  great  pressure  of  the  water,  and  leaving  the  lungs 
free  to  act;  the  sleeves  ended  in  gloves,  w'hich  in  no  way  re¬ 
strained  the  movement  of  the  hands.  There  was  a  vast  diffey- 

90 


100  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEtl  THE  SEAS. 

ence  noticeable  between  these  consummate  apparatuses  and  the 
old  cork  breastplates,  jackets,  and  other  contrivances  in  vogue 
during  the  eighteenth  century. 

Captain  Nemo  and  one  of  his  companions  (a  sort  of  Hercules, 
who  must  have  possessed  great  strength),  Conseil  and  myself, 
were  soon  enveloped  in  the  dresses.  There  remained  nothing 
more  to  be  done  but  to  enclose  our  heads  in  the  metal  box.  But 
before  proceeding  to  this  operation,  I  asked  the  Captain’s  per¬ 
mission  to  examine  the  guns  we  were  to  carry. 

One  of  the  Nautilus  men  gave  me  a  simple  gun,  the  butt  end 
of  which,  made  of  steel  hollow  in  the  center,  was  rather  large. 
It  served  as  a  reservoir  for  compressed  air,  which  a  valve,  worked 
by  a  spring,  allowed  to  escape  into  a  metal  tube.  A  box  of  pro¬ 
jectiles,  in  a  groove  in  the  thickness  of  the  butt-end,  contained 
about  twenty  of  these  electric  balls,  which  by  means  of  a  spring 
were  forced  into  the  barrel  of  the  gun.  As  soon  as  one  shot 
was  fired,  another  was  ready. 

“  Captain  Nemo,”  said  I,  “  this  arm  is  perfect,  and  easily  hand¬ 
led;  I  only  ask  to  be  allowed  to  try  it.  But  how  shall  we  gain 
the  bottom  of  the  sea?  ” 

“  At  this  moment.  Professor,  the  Nautilus  is  stranded  in  five 
fathoms,  and  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  start.” 

“  But  how  shall  we  get  off?  ”  “  You  shall  see.” 

Captain  Nemo  thrust  his  head  into  the  helmet,  Conseil  and  I 
did  the  same,  not  without  hearing  an  ironical  “Good  sport !” 
from  the  Canadian.  The  upper  part  of  our  dress  terminated  in 
a  copper  collar,  upon  which  v/as  screwed  the  metal  helmet. 
Three  holes,  protected  by  thick  glass,  allowed  us  to  see  in  all 
directions,  by  simply  turning  our  heads  in  the  interior  of  the 
head-dress.  As  soon  as  it  was  in  position,  the  Rouquayrol  ap¬ 
paratus  on  our  backs  began  to  act;  and  for  my  part,  I  could 
breathe  with  ease. 

With  the  Ruhmkorff  lamp  hanging  from  my  belt,  and  the  gun 
in  my  hand,  I  was  ready  to  set  out.  But  to  speak  the  truth,  im¬ 
prisoned  in  these  heavy  garments,  and  glued  to  the  deck  by  my 
leaden  soles,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  take  a  step. 

But  this  state  of  thino-s  was  provided  for.  I  felt  myself  being 
pushed  into  a  little  room  contiguous  to  the  wardrobe-room.  My 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  101 


companions  followed,  towed  along  in  the  same  way.  I  heard  a 
water-tight  door,  furnished  with  stopper-plates,  close  upon  us 
and  we  were  wrapped  in  profound  darkness. 

After  some  minutes,  a  loud  hissing  was  heard.  I  felt  the  cold 
mount  from  my  feet  to  my  chest.  Evidently  from  some  part  of 
the  vessel  they  had  by  means  of  a  tap  given  entrance  to  the 
water,  which  was  invading  us,  and  with  which  the  room  was 
soon  filled.  A  second  door  cut  in  the  side  of  the  Nautilus  then 
opened.  We  saw  a  faint  light.  In  another  instant  our  feet  trod 
the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

And  now,  how  can  I  retrace  the  impression  left  upon  me  by 
that  walk  under  the  waters?  Words  are  impotent  to  relate  such 
wonders !  Captain  Nemo  walked  in  front,  his  companion  fol¬ 
lowed  some  steps  behind.  Conseil  and  I  remained  near  each 
other,  as  if  an  exchange  of  words  had  been  possible  through  our 
metallic  cases.  I  no  longer  felt  the  weight  of  my  clothing,  or 
of  my  shoes,  of  my  reservoir  of  air,  or  my  thick  helmet,  in  the 
midst  of  which  my  head  rattled  like  an  almond  in  its  shell. 

The  light,  which  lit  the  soil  thirty  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
ocean,  astonished  me  by  its  power.  The  solar  rays  shone  through 
the  watery  mass  easily,  and  dissipated  all  color,  and  I  clearly 
distinguished  objects  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 
Beyond  that  the  tints  darkened  into  fine  gi’adations  of  ultra- 
marine,  and  faded  into  vague  obscurity.  Truly  this  water  which 
surrounded  me  was  but  another  air  denser  than  the  terrestrial 
atmosphere,  but  almost  as  transparent.  Above  me  was  the 
calm  surface  of  the  sea.  We  were  walking  on  fine,  even  sand, 
not  wrinkled,  as  on  a  flat  shore,  which  retains  the  impression 
of  the  billows.  This  dazzling  carpet,  really  a  reflector,  repelled 
the  rays  of  the  sun  with  wonderful  intensity,  which  accounted 
for  the  vibration  which  penetrated  every  atom  of  liquid.  Shall 
I  be  believed  when  I  say  that,  at  the  depth  of  thirty  feet,  I  could 
see  as  if  I  was  in  broad  daylight? 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  I  trod  on  this  sand,  sown  with  the 
impalpable  dust  of  shells.  The  hull  of  the  Nautilus,  resembling 
a  long  shoal,  disappeared  by  degrees;  but  its  lantern,  when  dark¬ 
ness  should  overtake  us  in  the  waters,  would  help  to  guide 
us  on  board  by  its  distinct  rays. 


103  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

Soon  forms  of  objects  outlined  in  the  distance  were  discerni¬ 
ble.  I  recognized  magnificent  rocks,  hung  with  a  tapestry  of 
zoophytes  of  the  most  beautiful  kind,  and  I  was  at  first  struck 
by  the  peculiar  effect  of  this  medium. 

It  was  then  ten  in  the  morning;  the  rays  of  the  sun  struck 
the  sm'face  of  the  waves  at  rather  an  oblique  angle,  and  at  the 
touch  of  their  light,  decomposed  by  refraction  as  through  a 
prism,  flowers,  rocks,  plants,  shells,  and  polypi  were  shaded  at 
the  edges  by  the  seven  solar  colors.  It  was  marvellous,  a  feast 
for  the  eyes,  this  complication  of  colored  tints,  a  perfect  kalei¬ 
doscope  of  green,  yellow,  orange,  violet,  indigo,  and  blue;  in 
one  word,  the  whole  palette  of  an  enthusiastic  colorist  I  Why 
could  I  not  communicate  to  Conseil  the  lively  sensations  which 
were  mounting  to  my  brain,  and  rival  him  in  expressions  of  ad¬ 
miration  ?  For  aught  I  knew,  Captain  Nemo  and  his  compan¬ 
ion  might  bo  able  to  exchange  thoughts  by  means  of  signs  pre¬ 
viously  agreed  upon.  So  for  want  of  better,  I  talked  to  myself; 
I  declaimed  in  the  copper  box  which  covered  my  head,  thereby 
expending  more  air  in  vain  words  than  was,  perhaps,  expedient. 

Various  kinds  of  Ms,  clusters  of  pure  tuft-coral,  prickly  fungi, 
and  anemones,  formed  a  brilliant  garden  of  flowers,  enam¬ 
elled  with  porphitffi,  decked  with  their  collarettes  of  blue  ten¬ 
tacles,  sea-stars  studding  the  sandy  bottom,  together  with  aste- 
rophytons  like  fine  lace  embroidered  by  the  hands  of  naiads, 
whose  festoons  were  waved  by  the  gentle  undulations  caused 
by  our  walk.  It  was  a  real  grief  to  me  to  crush  under 'my  feet 
the  brilliant  specimens  of  molluscs  which  strewed  the  ground 
by  thousands  of  hammerheads,  donacife  (veritable  bounding 
shells),  of  staircases,  and  red  helmet-shells,  angel-wings,  and 
many  others  produced  by  this  inexhaustible  ocean.  But  we 
were  bound  to  walk,  so  we  went  on,  whilst  above  our  heads 
waved  shoals  of  physalides,  leaving  their  tentacles  to  float  in 
their  train,  medusae  whose  umbrellas  of  opal  or  rose-pink,  es- 
calloped  with  a  band  of  blue,  sheltered  us  from  the  rays  of  the 
sun  and  fiery  pelagi?e,  which,  in  the  darkness,  would  have 
strewn  our  path  with  phosphorescent  light. 

All  these  wonders  I  saw  in  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
scarcely  stopping,  and  fod owing  Captain  Nemo,  who  beckoned 


1'wEnty  thousand  leagues  Under  the  seas.  IC^ 


me  on  by  signs.  Soon  the  nature  of  the  soil  changed;  to  the 
sandy  plain  succeeded  an  extent  of  slimy  mud,  which  the 
Americans  call  “  ooze,”  composed  of  equal  pafts  of  sili- 
cious  and  calcareous  shells.  We  then  travelled  over  a  plain  of 
sea-weed  of  wild  and  luxuriant  vegetation.  This  sward  was  of 
close  texture,  and  soft  to  the  feet,  and  rivalled  the  softest  carpet 
woven  by  the  hand  of  man.  But  whilst  verdure  was  spread  at 
our  feet,  it  did  not  abandon  our  heads.  A  light  network  of 
marine  plants,  of  that  inexhaustible  family  of  sea-weeds  of 
which  more  than  two  thousand  kinds  are  known,  grew  on  the 
surface  of  the  water.  I  saw  long  ribbons  of  fucus  floating, 
some  globular,  others  tuberous;  laurenciae  and  cladostephi  of 
most  delicate  foliage,  and  some  rhodomenise  palmatse,  resem¬ 
bling  the  fan  of  a  cactus.  I  noticed  that  the  green  plants  kept 
nearer  the  top  of  the  sea,  whilst  the  red  were  at  a  greater 
depth,  leaving  to  the  black  or  brown  hydrophytes  the  care  of 
forming  gardens  and  parterres  in  the  remote  beds  of  the  ocean. 

We  had  quitted  the  Nautilus  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  It  was 
near  noon;  I  knew  by  the  perpendicularity  of  the  sun’s  rays, 
which  were  no  longer  refracted.  The  magical  colors  disap¬ 
peared  by  degrees,  and  tiie  shades  of  emerald  and  sapphire 
were  effaced.  We  walked  with  a  regular  step,  which  rang  upon 
the  ground  with  astonishing  intensity;  the  slightest  noise  was 
transmitted  with  a  quickness  to  which  the  ear  is  unaccustomed 
on  the  earth;  indeed,  water  is  a  better  conductor  of  sound  than 
air,  in  the  ratio  of  four  to  one.  At  this  period  the  earth  sloped 
downwards;  the  light  took  a  uniform  tint.  We  were  at  a  depth 
of  a  hundred  and  five  yards  and  twenty  inches,  undergoing  a 
pressure  of  six  atmospheres. 

At  this  depth  I  could  still  see  the  rays  of  the  sun,  though 
feebly;  to  their  intense  brilliancy  had  succeeded  a  reddish  twi¬ 
light,  the  lowest  state  between  day  and  night;  but  we  could  still 
see  well  enough ;  it  was  not  necessary  to  resort  to  the  Ruhin- 
korff  apparatus  as  yet.  At  this  moment  Captain  Nemo  stopped; 
he  waited  till  I  joined  him,  and  then  pointed  to  an  obscure  mass, 
looming  in  the  shadow,  at  a  short  distance. 

“It  is  the  forest  of  the  Island  of  Crespo,”  thought  I; — and  1 
was  not  mistaken. 

8 


CHAPTER  XVI 


A  SUBMABINE  FOREST. 

We  had  at  last  arrived  on  the  borders  of  this  forest,  doubtless 
one  of  the  finest  of  Captain  Nemo’s  immense  domains.  He 
looked  upon  it  as  his  own,  and  considered  he  had  the  same  right 
over  it  that  the  first  men  had  in  the  first  days  of  the  world.  And, 
indeed,  who  would  have  disputed  with  him  the  possession  of 
this  submarine  property  ?  What  other  hardier  pioneer  would 
come,  hatchet  in  hand,  to  cut  down  the  dark  copses  ? 

This  forest  was  composed  of  large  tree-plants;  and  the  mo¬ 
ment  we  penetrated  under  its  vast  arcades,  I  was  struck  by  the 
singular  position  of  their  branches,— a  position  I  had  not  yet 
observed. 

Not  an  herb  which  carpeted  the  ground,  not  a  branch  which 
clothed  the  trees,  was  either  broken  or  bent,  nor  did  they  extend 
horizontally;  all  stretched  up  to  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  Not 
a  filament,  not  a  ribbon,  however  thin  they  might  be,  but  kept  as 
straight  as  a  rod  of  iron.  The  fuci  and  llianas  grew  in  rigid 
perpendicular  lines,  due  to  the  density  of  the  element  which 
had  produced  them.  Motionless,  yet,  when  bent  to  one  side  by 
the  hand,  they  directly  resumed  their  former  position.  Truly  it 
was  the  region  of  perpendicularity  ! 

I  soon  accustomed  myself  to  this  fantastic  position,  as  weU  as 
to  the  comparative  darkness  which  surrounded  us.  The  soil  of 
the  forest  seemed  covered  with  sharp  blocks,  difficult  to  avoid. 
The  submarine  flora  struck  me  as  being  very  perfect,  and  richer 
even  than  it  would  have  been  in  the  arctic  or  tropical  zones, 
where  these  productions  are  not  so  plentiful.  But  for  some 
minutes  I  involuntarily  confounded  the  genera,  taking  zoophytes 
for  hydrophytes,  animals  for  plants;  and  who  would  not  have 

104 


TV/ ENT Y  TnOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  105 


been  mistaken?  The  fauna  and  the  flora  are  too  closely 
allied  In  this  submarine  world. 

These  plants  are  self-propagated,  and  the  piinciple  of  their 
existence  is  in  the  water,  which  upholds  and  nourishes  them. 
The  greater  number,  instead  of  leaves,  shoot  forth  blades  of 
eapricious  shapes  comprised  within  a  scale  of  colors,— pink,  car¬ 
mine,  green,  olive,  fawn  and  brown.  I  saw  there  (but  not  dried 
up,  as  our  specimens  of  the  Nautilus  are)  pavonari  spread  like  a 
fan  as  if  to  catch  the  breeze;  scarlet  ceramies,  whose  laminaries 
extended  their  edible  shoots  of  fern-shaped  nereocysti,  wliich 
grow  to  a  height  of  fifteen  feet;  clusters  of  acetabuli,  whose 
stems  increase  in  size  upwards;  and  numbers  of  other  marine 
plants,  all  devoid  of  flowers ! 

“Curious  anomaly!  fantastic  element!’*  said  an  ingenious 
naturalist,  “in  which  the  animal  kingdom  blossoms,  and  the 
vegetable  does  not !  ” 

Under  these  numerous  shrubs  (as  large  as  trees  of  the  tem¬ 
perate  zone),  and  under  their  damp  shadow,  were  massed  to¬ 
gether  real  bushes  of  living  flowers,  hedges  of  zoophytes,  on 
which  blossomed  some  zebra-meandrines,  with  crooked  grooves; 
some  3’ellow  caryophyUiee;  and  to  complete  the  illusion,  the  fish- 
flies  flew  from  branch  to  branch  like  a  swarm  of  humming-birds, 
whilst  yellow  lepisacomthi,  with  bristling  jaws,  dactylopteri,  and 
monocentrides  rose  at  our  feet  like  a  flight  of  snipes. 

In  about  an  hour  Captain  Nemo  gave  tlie  signal  to  halt.  I,  for 
my  part,  was  not  sorry,  and  we  stretclied  ourselves  under  an 
arbor  of  alarise,  the  long  tlun  blades  of  which  stood  up  like 
arrows. 

This  short  rest  seemed  dehcious  to  me;  there  was  nothing 
wanting  but  the  charm  of  conversation;  but,  impossible  to 
speak,  impossible  to  answer,  I  only  put  my  great  copper  head 
to  Conseil’s.  I  saw  the  worthy  fellow’s  eyes  glistening  with  de¬ 
light,  and  to  show  his  satisfaction  lie  shook  himself  in  his 
breastplate  of  air,  in  the  most  comical  way  in  the  world. 

After  four  hours  of  this  walking  I  was  surprised  not  to  find 
myself  dreadfully  hungry.  How  to  account  for  this  state  of  the 
stomach  I  could  not  tell.  But  instead,  I  felt  an  insurmount¬ 
able  desire  to  sleep,  which  happens  to  all  divers.  And  ra.v  eyes 


106  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEA*'. 

soon  closed  behind  the  thick  glasses,  and  I  fell  into  a  heavy  slum¬ 
ber,  which  the  movement  alone  had  prevented  before.  Captain 
Nemo  and  his  robust  companion,  stretciied  in  the  clear  crystal, 
set  us  the  example. 

I 

How  long  I  remained  buried  in  this  drowsiness,  I  can  not 
judge  ;  but,  when  I  woke,  the  sun  seemed  sinking  towards  the 
horizon.  Captain  Nemo  had  akeady  risen,  and  I  was  begin¬ 
ning  to  stretch  my  limbs,  when  an  unexpected  apparition  brought 
me  briskly  to  my  feet. 

A  few  steps  off,  a  monster  sea-spider,  about  thirty-eight  inches 
high,  was  watcliing  me  with  squmting  eyes,  ready  to  spring 
upon  me.  Though  my  diver’s  dress  was  thick  enough  to  defend 
me  from  the  bite  of  this  animal,  I  could  not  help  shuddering 
with  horror.  Conseil  and  the  sailor  of  the  Nautilus  awoke  at 
this  moment.  Captain  Nemo  pointed  out  the  hideous  crustacean, 
which  a  blow  from  the  butt-end  of  the  gun  knocked  over,  and 
I  saw  the  horrible  claws  of  the  monster  writhe  in  terrible  con¬ 
vulsions.  This  accident  reminded  me  that  other  animals  more 
to  be  feared  might  haunt  these  obscure  depths,  against  whose 
attacks  my  diving-dress  would  not  protect  me.  I  had  never 
thought  of  it  before,  but  I  now  resolved  to  be  upon  my  guard. 
Indeed,  I  thought  that  this  halt  would  mark  the  termination  of 
our  walk  ;  but  I  was  mistaken,  for,  instead  of  returning  to  the 
Nautilus,  Captain  Nemo  continued  his  bold  excursion.  The 
ground  was  still  on  the  incline,  its  declivity  seemed  to  be  get¬ 
ting  greater,  and  to  be  leading  us  to  greater  depths.  It  must 
have  been  about  tlmee  o'clock  when  we  reached  a  narrow  val¬ 
ley,  between  high  perpendicular  walls,  situated  about  seventy- 
five  fathoms  deep.  Thanks  to  the  perfection  of  our  apparatus, 
we  were  forty-five  fathoms  below  the  limit  which  nature  seems 
to  have  imposed  on  man  as  to  his  submarine  excursions. 

I  say  seventy-five  fathoms,  though  I  had  no  instrument  by 
which  to  judge  the  distance.  But  I  knew  that  even  in  the 
clearest  waters  the  solar  rays  could  not  penetrate  further.  And 
accordingly  the  darkness  deepened.  At  ten  paces  not  an  ob¬ 
ject  was  visible.  I  was  gi’oping  my  way,  wlien  I  suddenly  saw 
a  brilliant  white  light.  Captain  Nemo  had  just  put  his  electric 
apparatus  into  use  ;  his  companion  did  the  same,  and  Conseil  and 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  107 


I  followed  their  example.  By  turning  a  screw  I  established  a 
communication  between  the  wire  and  the  spiral  glass,  and  the 
sea,  lit  by  our  four  lanterns,  was  illuminated  for  a  circle  of  thirty- 
six  yards. 

Captain  Nemo  was  still  plunging  into  the  dark  depths  of  the 
forest,  whose  trees  were  getting  scarcer  at  every  step.  I  noticed 
that  vegetable  life  disappeared  sooner  than  animal  life.  The 
medusae  had  already  abandoned  the  arid  soil,  from  which  a 
great  number  of  animals,  zoophytes,  articulata,  molluscs,  and 
fishes,  still  obtained  sustenance. 

As  we  walked,  I  thought  the  light  of  our  Ruhmkorff  appara¬ 
tus  could  not  fail  to  draw  some  inhabitant  from  its  dark  couch. 
But  if  they  did  approach  us,  they  at  least  kept  at  a  respectful 
distance  from  the  hunters.  Several  times  I  saw  Captain  Nemo 
stop,  put  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  and  after  some  moments  drop 
it  and  walk  on.  At  last,  after  about  four  hours,  this  marvellous 
excursion  came  to  an  end.  A  wall  of  superb  rocks,  in  an  im¬ 
posing  mass,  rose  before  us,  a  heap  of  gigantic  blocks,  an  enor¬ 
mous  steep  granite  shore,  forming  dark  grottos,  but  wliich  pre¬ 
sented  no  practicable  slope ;  it  was  the  prop  of  the  Island  of 
Crespo.  It  was  the  earth  !  Captain  Nemo  stopped  suddenly.  A 
gesture  of  his  brought  us  all  to  a  halt ;  and  however  desirous  I 
might  be  to  scale  the  wall,  I  was  obliged  to  stop.  Here  ended 
Captain  Nemo’s  domains,  and  he  would  not  go  beyond  them. 
Further  on  was  a  portion  of  the  globe  he  might  not  trample 
upon. 

The  return  began.  Captain  Nemo  had  returned  to  the  head 
of  his  little  band,  directing  their  course  without  hesitation.  I 
thought  we  were  not  following  the  same  road  to  return  to  the 
Nautilus.  The  new  road  was  very  steep,  and  consequently  very 
painful.  We  approached  the  surface  of  the  sea  rapidly.  But 
this  return  to  the  upper  strata  was  not  so  sudden  as  to  cause 
relief  from  the  pressure  too  rapidly,  which  might  have  produced 
serious  disorder  in  our  organization,  and  brought  on  internal 
lesions,  so  fatal  to  divers.  Very  soon  light  reappeared  and  grew, 
and  the  sun  being  low  on  the  horizon,  the  refraction  edged  the 
different  objects  with  a  spectral  ring.  At  ten  yards  and  a  half 
deep,  we  walked  amidst  a  shoal  of  httle  fishes  of  all  kinds,  more 


108  twenty  thousand  leagues  under  the  seas. 

numerous  than  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  also  more  agile  ;  but  no 
aquatic  game  worthy  of  a  shot  had  as  yet  met  our  gaze,  when  at 
that  moment  I  saw  the  captain  shoulder  his  gun  quickly,  and 
follow  a  moving  object  into  the  shrubs.  He  fired  ;  —  I  heard  a 
slight  hissing,  and  a  creature  fell  stunned  at  some  distance  from 
us.  It  was  a  magnificent  sea-otter,  an  enhydrus,  the  only  ex¬ 
clusively  marine  quadruped.  This  otter  was  five  feet  long,  and 
must  have  been  very  valuable.  Its  skin,  chestnut-brown  above 
and  silvery  underneath,  would  have  made  one  of  those  beauti¬ 
ful  furs  so  sought  after  in  the  Russian  and  Chinese  markets  ;  the 
fineness  and  the  luster  of  its  coat  would  certainly  fetch  £  80.  I 
admired  this  cmious  mammal,  with  its  rounded  head  orna¬ 
mented  with  short  ears,  its  round  eyes,  and  white  whiskers  like 
those  of  a  cat,  with  webbed  feet  and  nails,  and  tufted  tail.  This 
precious  animal,  hunted  and  tracked  by  fishermen,  has  now  be- 
^.•ome  very  rare,  and  taken  refuge  chiefly  in  the  northern  parts 
of  the  Pacific,  or  probably  its  race  would  soon  become  extinct. 

Captain  Nemo’s  companion  took  the  beast,  threw  it  over  his 
shoulder,  and  we  continued  our  journey.  For  one  hour  a  plain 
of  sand  lay  stretched  before  us.  Sometimes  it  rose  to  within 
two  yards  and  some  inches  of  the  surface  of  the  water.  I  then 
saw  our  image  clearly  reflected,  drawn  inversely,  and  above  us 
appeared  an  identical  group  reflecting  our  movements  and  our 
actions;  in  i  word,  like  us  in  every  point,  except  that  they 
walked  with  their  heads  downward  and  their  feet  in  the  air. 

Another  effect  I  noticed,  which  was  the  passage  of  tliick  clouds 
which  formed  and  vanished  rapidly;  but  on  reflection  I  under¬ 
stood  that  these  seeming  clouds  were  due  to  the  varying  thick¬ 
ness  of  the  reeds  at  the  bottom,  and  I  could  even  see  the  fleecy 
foam  which  their  broken  tops  multiplied  on  the  water,  and  the 
shadows  of  large  birds  passing  above  our  heads,  whose  rapid 
flight  I  could  discern  on  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

On  this  occasion  I  was  witness  to  one  of  the  finest  gun-shots 
which  ever  made  the  nerves  of  a  hunter  thrill.  A  large  bird,  of 
great  breadth  of  wing,  clearly  visible,  approached,  hovering  over 
us.  Captain  Nemo’s  companion  shouldered  his  gun  and  fired, 
when  it  was  only  a  few  yards  above  the  waves.  The  creature 
fell  stunned,  and  the  force  of  its  fall  brought  it  within  the  reach 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  lOO 


of  the  dexterous  hunter’s  grasp.  It  was  an  albatross  of  the 
finest  kind. 

Our  march  had  not  been  interrupted  by  this  incident.  For 
two  hours  we  followed  these  sandy  plains,  then  fields  of  algge 
very  disagreeable  to  cross.  Candidly,  I  could  do  no  more  when 
I  saw  a  glimmer  of  light,  which  for  a  half-mile  broke  the  dark¬ 
ness  of  the  waters.  It  was  the  lantern  of  the  Nautilus.  Before 
twenty  minutes  were  over  we  should  be  on  board,  and  I  should 
be  able  to  breathe  with  ease;  for  it  seemed  that  my  reservoir 
supplied  air  very  deficient  in  oxygen.  But  I  did  not  reckon  cii 
an  accidental  meeting,  which  delayed  our  arrival  for  some  time. 

I  had  remained  some  steps  behind,  when  I  presently  saw  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  coming  hurriedly  towards  me.  With  his  strong  hand 
he  bent  me  to  the  ground,  his  companion  doing  the  same  to 
Conseil.  At  first  I  knew  not  what  to  think  of  this  sudden  attaclr, 
but  I  was  soon  reassured  by  seeing  the  captain  lie  down  beside 
me,  and  remain  unmovable. 

I  was  stretched  on  the  ground,  just  under  shelter  of  a  bush  of 
algfe,  when,  raising  my  head,  I  saw  some  enormous  mass,  cast¬ 
ing  phosphorescent  gleams,  pass  blusteringly  by. 

My  blood  froze  in  my  veins  as  I  recognized  two  formidable 
sharks  which  threatened  us.  It  was  a  couple  of  tintoreas,  ter¬ 
rible  creatures,  with  enormous  tails  and  a  duU  glassy  stare,  the 
phosphorescent  matter  ejected  from  holes  pierced  around  the 
muzzle.  Monstrous  brutes !  which  would  crush  a  whole  man  in 
their  iron  jaws.  I  did  not  know  whether  Conseil  stopped  to 
classify  them;  for  my  part,  I  noticed  their  silver  bellies,  and 
their  huge  mouths  bristling  with  teeth,  from  a  veiy  unscientific 
point  of  view,  and  more  as  a  possible  victim  than  as  a  naturalist. 

Happily  the  voracious  creatures  do  not  see  well.  They  passed 
without  seeing  us,  brushing  us  with  their  brownish  fins,  and  we 
escaped  by  a  miracle  from  a  danger  certainly  greater  than  meet¬ 
ing  a  tiger  full-face  in  the  forest.  Half  an  hour  after,  guided 
by  the  electric  light,  we  reached  the  Nautilus.  The  outside  door 
had  been  left  open,  and  Captain  Nemo  closed  it  as  soon  as  we 
had  entered  the  first  cell.  He  then  pressed  a  knob.  I  heard 
the  pumps  working  in  the  midst  of  the  vessel,  I  felt  the  water 
sulking  from  around  me,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  cell  was 


110  TWE'ifl’Y  l?HOUSANB  LEAflUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

entirely  empty.  The  inside  door  then  opened,  and  we  entered 
the  vestry. 

There  our  diving-dress  was  taken  off,  not  without  some 
trouble;  and,  fairly  worn  out  from  want  of  food  and  sleep,  I 
returned  to  my  room,  in  great  wonder  at  this  surprising 
Bion  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


UNDER  THE  PACIFIC. 

The  next  morning,  the  18th  of  November,  I  had  quite  recov¬ 
ered  from  my  fatigues  of  the  day  before,  and  I  went  up  on  to 
the  platform,  just  as  the  second  lieutenant  was  uttering  his  daily 
phrase. 

I  was  admiring  the  magnificent  aspect  of  the  ocean  when 
Captain  Nemo  appeared.  He  did  not  seem  to  be  aware  of  my 
presence,  and  began  a  series  of  astronomical  observations. 
Then,  when  he  liad  finished,  he  went  and  leant  on  the  cage  of 
the  watch-light,  and  gazed  abstractedly  on  the  ocean.  In  the 
mean  time,  a  number  of  the  sailors  of  the  Nautilus,  all  strong 
and  healthy  men,  had  come  up  on  to  the  platform.  They  came 
to  draw  up  the  nets  that  had  been  laid  all  night.  These  sailors 
were  evidently  of  different  nations,  although  the  European  type 
was  visible  in  all  of  them.  I  recognized  some  unmistakable  Irish¬ 
men,  Frenchmen,  some  Sciaves,  and  a  Greek  or  a  Candiote. 
They  were  civil,  and  only  used  that  odd  language  among  them¬ 
selves,  the  origin  of  wliich  I  could  not  guess,  neither  could  I 
question  them. 

The  nets  were  hauled  in.  They  were  a  large  kind  of  “  cha- 
luts,”  like  those  on  the  Normandy  coasts,  great  pockets  that  the 
waves  and  a  chain  fixed  in  the  smaller  meshes,  kept  open. 
These  pockets,  drawn  by  iron  poles,  swept  through  the  water, 
and  gathered  in  ever}  thing  in  their  way.  That  day  they  brought 
up  curious  specimens  from  those  productive  coasts, — fishing- 
frogs  that,  from  their  comical  movements,  have  acquired  the 
name  of  buffoons;  black  commersons,  furnished  with  antennse; 
trigger-fish,  encircled  with  red  bands;  orthragorisci,  with  very 
subtle  venom;  some  olive-colored  lampreys;  macrorhynci,  cov- 

11) 


113  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

ered  with  silvery  scales;  trichiuri,  the  electric  power  of  which 
is  equal  to  that  of  the  gymnotus  and  cramp-fish;  scalynotoi)- 
teri,  with  transverse  brown  bands;  greenish  cod;  several  varieties 
of  gobies,  etc.;  also  some  larger  fish;  a  caranx  with  a  prominent 
head  a  yard  long;  several  fine  bonitos,  streaked  with  blue  and 
silver;  and  three  splendid  tunnies,  which,  spite  of  the  swiftness 
of  their  motion,  had  not  escaped  the  net. 

I  reckoned  that  the  haul  had  brought  in  more  than  nine  hun¬ 
dred  weight  of  fish.  It  was  a  fine  haul,  but  not  to  be  wondered 
at.  Indeed,  the  nets  are  let  down  for  several  hours,  and  en¬ 
close  in  their  meshes  an  infinite  variety.  We  had  no  lack  of  ex¬ 
cellent  food,  and  the  rapidity  of  the  Nautilus  and  the  attraction 
of  the  electric  light  could  always  renew  our  supply.  These 
several  productions  of  the  sea  were  immediately  lowered 
through  the  panel  to  the  steward’s  room,  some  to  be  eaten  fresh 
and  others  pickled. 

The  fishing  ended,  the  provision  of  air  renewed,  I  thought 
that  the  Nautilus  was  about  to  continue  its  submarine  excursion, 
and  was  preparing  to  return  to  my  room,  when,  without  fur¬ 
ther  preamble,  the  captain  turned  to  me,  saying, — 

“  Professor,  is  not  this  ocean  gifted  with  real  life  ?  It  has  its 
tempers  and  its  gentle  moods.  Yesterday  it  slept  as  we  did,  and 
now  it  has  woke  after  a  quiet  night.  Look  !  ”  he  continued, 
“  it  wakes  under  the  caresses  of  the  sun.  It  is  going  to  renew 
its  diurnal  existence.  It  is  an  interesting  study  to  watch  the 
play  of  its  organization.  It  has  a  pulse,  arteries,  spasms;  and  I 
agree  with  the  learned  Maury,  who  discovered  in  it  a  circulation 
as  real  as  the  circulation  of  blood  in  animals. 

“  Yes,  the  ocean  has  indeed  circulation,  and  to  promote  it,  the 
Creator  has  caused  things  to  multiply  in  it, — caloric,  salt,  and 
animalculae.” 

When  Captain  Nemo  spoke  thus,  he  seem^ed  altogethei 
changed,  and  aroused  an  extraordinary  emotion  in  me. 

“Also,”  he  added,  “true  existence  is  there;  and  lean  imagine 
the  foundations  of  nautical  towns,  clusters  of  submarine  houses, 
which,  like  the  Nautilus,  would  ascend  every  morning  to 
breathe  at  the  surface  of  the  water, — free  towns,  independent 
cities.  Yet  who  knows  whether  some  despot — ” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  113 


Captain  Nemo  finished  his  sentence  with  a  violent  gesture. 
Then,  addressing  me  as  if  to  chase  away  some  sorrowful 
thought, — “  M.  Aronnax,”  he  asked,  “  do  you  know  the  depth  of 
the  ocean  ?  ” 

“  I  only  know.  Captain,  what  the  principal  soundings  have 
taught  us.” 

“Could  you  tell  me  them,  so  that  I  can  suit  them  to  my  pur¬ 
pose?” 

“  These  are  some,”  I  replied,  “  that  I  remember.  If  I  am  not 
mistaken,  a  depth  of  8,000  yards  has  been  found  in  the  North  At¬ 
lantic,  and  2,500  yards  in  the  Mediterranean.  The  most  remark¬ 
able  somidings  have  been  made  in  the  South  Atlantic,  near  the 
35th  parallel,  and  they  gave  12,000  yards,  14,000  yards,  and  15,000 
yards.  To  sum  up  all,  it  is  reckoned  that  if  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
were  levelled,  its  mean  depth  would  be  about  one  and  tluee-quar- 
ter  leagues.” 

“  Well,  Professor,”  replied  the  captain,  “  we  shall  show  you 
better  than  that,  I  hope.  As  to  the  mean  depth  of  this  part  of 
the  Pacific,  I  tell  you  it  is  only  4,000  yards.” 

Having  said  this.  Captain  Nemo  went  towards  the  panel,  and 
disappeared  down  the  ladder.  I  followed  him,  and  went  into 
the  large  drawing-room.  The  screw  was  immediately  put  in 
motion,  and  the  log  gave  twenty  miles  an  hour. 

During  the  days  and  weeks  that  passed.  Captain  Nemo  was 
very  sparing  of  his  visits.  I  seldom  saw  him.  The  lieutenant 
picked  the  ship’s  course  regularly  on  the  chart,  so  I  could  always 
tell  exactly  the  route  of  the  Nautilus. 

Nearly  every  day,  for  some  time,  the  panels  of  the  drawing-room 
were  opened,  and  we  were  never  tired  of  penetrating  the  mys¬ 
teries  of  the  submarine  world. 

The  general  direction  of  the  Nautilus  was  southeast,  and  it 
kept  between  100  and  150  yards  of  depth.  One  day,  however,  I 
do  not  know  why,  being  drawn  diagonally  by  means  of  the  in¬ 
clined  planes,  it  touched  the  bod  of  the  sea.  The  thermometer 
indicated  a  temperature  of  4.25  (cent.);  a  temperature  that  at 
this  depth  seemed  common  to  all  latitudes. 

At  three  o’clock  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  November,  the 
Nautilus  crossed  the  tropic  of  Cancer  at  172*  longitude.  On  the 


114  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

27th  instant  it  sighted  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  Cook  died, 
February  14,  1779.  We  had  then  gone  4,860  leagues  from  our 
starting-point.  In  the  morning,  when  I  went  on  the  platform,  I 
saw  two  miles  to  windward,  Hawaii,  the  largest  of  the  seven 
islands  that  form  the  group.  I  saw  clearly  the  cultivated  ranges, 
and  the  several  mountain-chains  that  run  parallel  with  the  side, 
and  the  volcanoes  that  overtop  Mouna-Rea,  which  rise  5,000 
yards  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Besides  other  things  the 
nets  brought  up,  were  several  flabellarioe  and  graceful  polypi, 
that  are  peculiar  to  that  part  of  the  ocean.  The  direction  of  the 
Nautilus  was  still  to  the  southeast.  It  crossed  the  equator  De¬ 
cember  1,  in  142’  longitude;  and  on  the  4th  of  the  same  month, 
after  crossing  rapidly  and  without  anything  particular  occurring, 
we  sighted  the  Marquesas  group.  I  saw,  three  miles  off,  at  8* 
57'  latitude  south,  and  139°  32'  west  longitude,  Martin’s  peak  in 
Nouka-Hiva,  the  largest  of  the  group  that  belongs  to  France. 
I  only  saw  the  woody  mountains  against  the  horizon,  because 
Captain  Nemo  did  not  wish  to  bring  the  ship  to  the  wind.  There 
the  nets  brought  up  beautiful  specimens  of  fish:  choryphenes, 
with  azure  fins  and  tails  like  gold,  the  flesh  of  wliich  is  unrival¬ 
led;  hologymnoses,  nearly  destitute  of  scales,  but  of  exquisito 
flavor;  ostorhyncs,  with  bony  jaws,  and  yellow-tinged  tha^ards, 
as  good  as  bonitos;  all  fish  that  would  be  of  use  to  us.  After 
leaving  these  charming  islands  protected  by  the  French  flag, 
from  the  4th  to  the  llth  of  December  the  Nautilus  sailed  over 
about  2,000  miles.  This  navigation  was  remarkable  for  the 
meeting  with  an  immense  shoal  of  calmars,  near  neighbors  to 
the  cuttle.  The  French  fishermen  call  them  hornets;  they  be¬ 
long  to  the  cephalopod  class,  and  to  the  dibranchial  family,  that 
comprehends  the  cuttles  and  the  argonauts.  These  animals 
were  particularly  studied  by  students  of  antiquity,  and  they  fur¬ 
nished  numerous  metaphors  to  the  popular  orators,  as  well  as 
excellent  dishes  for  the  tables  of  the  rich  citizens,  if  one  can  be¬ 
lieve  Athenseus,  a  Greek  doctor,  who  lived  before  Galen.  It  was 
during  the  night  of  the  9th  or  10th  of  December  that  the  Nauti¬ 
lus  came  across  this  shoal  of  molluscs,  that  are  peculiarly  noc¬ 
turnal.  One  could  count  them  by  millions.  They  emigrate  from 
the  temperate  to  the  warmer  zones,  following  the  track  of  her- 


TWENTY  THOUSAN©  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  tsEAS.  IIS 


rings  and  sardines.  We  watched  them  through  the  thick  crystal 
panes,  swimming  down  the  wind  with  great  rapidity,  moving  by 
means  of  their  locomotive  tube,  pursuing  fish  and  molluscs,  eat¬ 
ing  the  little  ones,  eaten  by  the  big  ones,  and  tossing  about  in 
hidescribable  confusion  the  ten  arms  that  nature  has  placed  on 
their  heads  hke  a  crest  of  pneumatic  serpents.  The  Nautilus,  in 
spite  of  its  speed,  sailed  for  several  hours  in  the  midst  of  these 
animals,  and  its  nets  brought  in  an  enormous  quantity,  among 
which  I  recognized  the  nine  species  that  D’Orbigny  classed  for 
the  Pacific.  One  saw,  while  crossing,  that  the  sea  displays  the 
most  wonderful  sights.  They  were  in  endless  variety.  The 
scene  changed  continually,  and  we  were  called  upon  not  only 
to  contemplate  the  works  of  the  Creator  in  the  midst  of  the 
liquid  element,  but  to  penetrate  the  awful  mysteries  of  the  ocean. 

During  the  daytime  of  the  11th  of  December,  I  was  busy  read¬ 
ing  in  the  large  drawing-room.  Ned  Land  and  Conseil  watched 
the  luminous  water  through  the  half-open  panels.  The  Nautilus 
was  immovable.  \Vhile  its  reservoirs  were  filled,  it  kept  at  a 
depth  of  1,000  yards,  a  region  rarely  visited  in  the  ocean,  and  in 
which  large  fish  were  seldom  seen. 

I  was  then  reading  a  charming  book  by  Jean  Mace,  “  The 
Slaves  of  the  Stomach,”  and  I  was  learning  some  valuable  lessons 
from  it,  when  Conseil  interrupted  me. 

“Will  master  come  here  a  moment?”  he  said,  in  a  curious 
voice.  “  What  is  the  matter,  Conseil?”  “  I  want  master  to  look.” 

I  rose,  went  and  leaned  on  my  elbows  before  the  panes,  and 
watched. 

In  a  full  electric  light,  an  enormous  black  mass,  quite  immov¬ 
able,  was  suspended  in  the  midst  of  the  waters.  I  watched  it 
attentively,  seeking  to  find  out  the  nature  of  this  gigantic  cetar 
cean.  But  a  sudden  thought  crossed  my  mind.  “A  vessel!”  I 
said,  half  aloud. 

“Yes,”  replied  the  Canadian,  “a  disabled  rfiip  that  has  sunk 
perpendicularly.” 

Ned  Land  was  right;  wo  were  close  to  a  vessel  of  wliich  the 
tattered  shrouds  still  hung  from  their  chains.  The  keel  seemed 
to  be  in  good  order,  and  it  had  been  wrecked  at  most  some  few 
years.  Three  stumps  of  masts,  broken  off  about  two  feet  above 


116  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

the  bridge,  showed  that  the  vessel  had  had  to  sacrifice  its  masts. 
But,  lying  on  its  side,  it  had  filled,  and  it  was  heeling  over  to 
port.  This  skeleton  of  what  it  had  once  been  was  a  sad  speo 
tacleasitlay  lost  under  the  waves;  but  sadder  still  was  the 
sight  of  the  bridge,  where  some  corpses,  bound "  ith  ropes,  were 
still  lying.  I  counted  five, — four  men,  one  ( f  whom  was  st-.nd- 
ing  at  the  helm,  and  a  woman  standing  by  the  poop  holding  an 
infant  in  her  arms.  She  was  quite  young.  I  could  distinguish 
her  features,  which  the  water  had  not  decomposed,  by  the  bril¬ 
liant  light  from  the  Nautilus.  In  one  despairing  effort,  she  had 
raised  her  infant  above  her  head,  poor  little  thing !  whose  arms 
encircled  its  mother’s  neck.  The  attitude  of  the  four  sailors  was 
frightful,  distorted  as  they  were  by  convulsive  movements, 
whilst  making  a  last  effort  to  free  themsehc  s  from  the  cords 
that  bound  them  to  the  vessel.  The  steersman  alone,  calm,  with 
a  grave,  clear  face,  liis  gray  hair  glued  to  his  forehead,  and  his 
hand  clutching  the  wheel  of  the  helm,  seemed  even  then  to  ba 
guiding  the  three  broken  masts  through  the  depths  of  the  ocean. 

What  a  scene  !  We  were  dumb;  our  hearts  beat  fast  before 
this  shipwreck,  taken  as  it  were  from  life,  and  photographed  in 
its  last  moments.  And  I  saw  already,  coming  towards  it  with 
hungry  eyes,  enormous  sharks,  attracted  by  the  human  flesh. 

However,  the  Nautilus,  turning,  went  round  the  submerged 
vessel,  and  in  one  instant  I  read  >n  the  stem, — “The  Florida 
Sunderland’’ 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 


VANUCORO. 

This  terrible  spectacle  was  the  forerunner  of  the  series  of 
maritime  catastrophes  that  the  Nautilus  was  destined  to  meet 
with  in  its  route.  As  long  as  it  went  through  more  frequented 
waters,  we  often  saw  the  hulls  of  shipwrecked  vessels  that  were 
rotting  in  the  depths,  and,  deeper  down,  cannons,  bullets,  an¬ 
chors,  chains,  and  a  thousand  other  iron  materials  eaten  up  by 
rust.  However,  on  the  11th  of  December,  we  sighted  the  Pomo- 
tou  Islands,  the  old  “  dangerous  group  ”  of  Bougainville,  that 
extend  over  a  space  of  500  leagues  at  E.S.E.  to  W.N.W.,  from 
the  Island  Ducie  to  that  of  Lazareff.  This  group  covers  an  area 
of  370  square  leagues,  and  it  is  formed  of  sixty  groups  of  islands, 
among  which  the  Gam  bier  group  is  remarkable,  over  which 
France  exercises  sway.  These  are  coral  islands,  slowly  raised, 
but  continuous,  created  by  the  daily  work  of  poljq)i.  Then  this 
new  island  will  be  joined  later  on  to  the  neighboring  groups, 
and  a  fifth  continent  will  stretch  from  New  Zealand  and  New 
Caledonia,  and  from  thence  to  the  Marquesas. 

One  day,  when  I  was  suggestuig  this  theory  to  Captain  Nemo, 
he  replied  coldly, — 

“  The  earth  does  not  want  new  continents,  but  new  men.” 

Chance  had  conducted  the  Nautilus  towards  the  island  of  Cler' 
monfc-Tonnerre,  one  of  the  most  curious  of  the  group  that  was 
discovered  in  1822  by  Captain  Bell  of  the  Minerva.  I  could  study 
now  the  madreporal  system,  to  which  are  due  the  islands  in  this 
ocean. 

Madrepores  (which  must  not  be  mistaken  for  corals)  have  a 
tissue  lined  with  a  calcareous  crust,  and  the  modifications  of  its 
structure  have  induced  M.  Milne-Edwards,my  worthy  master,  to 

VI 


118  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

class  them  into  five  sections.  The  animalculse  that  the  marine 
polypus  secretes  live  by  millions  at  the  bottom  of  their  cells. 
Their  calcareous  deposits  become  rocks,  reefs,  and  large  and 
small  islands.  Here  they  form  a  ring,  surrounding  a  little  in¬ 
land  lake,  that  communicates  Vvith  the  sea  by  means  of  gaps. 
There  they  make  barriers  of  reefs  like  those  on  the  coasts  of 
New  Caledonia  and  the  various  Pomotou  islands.  In  other  places, 
like  those  at  Reimion  and  at  Maurice,  they  raise  fringed-  reefs, 
high,  straight  walls,  near  w^hich  the  depth  of  the  ocean  is  con¬ 
siderable. 

Some  cable-lengths  off  the  shores  of  the  island  of  Clermont,  I 
admired  the  gigantic  work  accomplished  by  these  microscopical 
workers.  These  walls  are  specially  the  work  of  those  madre¬ 
pores  knowTi  as  milleporas,  porites,  madrepores,  and  astrseas. 
These  polypi  are  found  particularly  in  the  rougli  beds  of  the 
sea,  near  the  smTace;  and  consequently  it  is  from  the  upper 
part  that  they  begin  their  operations  in  which  they  bury  them¬ 
selves  by  degrees  Avith  the  debris  of  the  secretions  that  support 
them.  Such  is,  at  least,  Darwin’s  theory,  who  tlius  explains  the 
formation  of  the  atolls,  a  superior  theory  (to  my  mind)  to  that 
given  of  the  foundation  of  the  madreporical  works,  summits  of 
mountains  or  volcanoes,  that  are  submerged  some  feet  below 
the  level  of  the  sea, 

I  could  observe  closely  these  curious  walls,  for  perpendicularly 
they  were  more  than  800  yards  deep,  and  our  ^electric  sheets 
lighted  up  this  calcareous  matter  brilliantly.  Replying  to  a  ques¬ 
tion  Conseil  asked  me  as  to  the  time  these  colossal  barriers  took 
to  be  raised,  I  astonished  him  much  by  telling  him  that  learned 
men  reckoned  it  about  the  eighth  of  an  inch  in  a  hundred  years. 

Towards  evening  Clermont-Tonnerre  was  lost  in  the  distance, 
and  the  route  of  the  Nautilus  was  sensibly  changed.  After  hav- 
mg  crossed  the  tropic  of  Capricorn  in  185°  longitude,  it  sailed 
W.N.W.,  making  again  for  the  tropical  zone.  Although  the 
summer  sun  was  veiy  strong,  we  did  not  suffer  from  heat,  for 
at  fifteen  or  fwenty  fathoms  below  the  surface,  the  temperatime 
did  not  rise  above  from  ten  to  twelve  degrees. 

On  December  15,  we  left  to  the  east  the  bewitching  group  of 
the  Societies  and  the  graceful  Tahiti,  queen  of  the  Pacific.  I  saw 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  119 


in  the  morning,  some  miles  to  the  windward,  the  elevated  sum¬ 
mits  of  the  island.  These  waters  furnished  our  table  with  excel¬ 
lent  fish,  mackerel,  bonitos,  and  albicores,  and  some  varieties  of 
a  sea-serpent  called  munirophis. 

On  the  25th  of  December  the  Nautilus  sailed  into  the  midst  of 
the  New  Hebrides,  discovered  by  Quiros  in  1606,  and  that  Bou¬ 
gainville  explored  in  1768,  and  to  which  Cook  gave  its  present 
name  in  1773.  This  group  is  composed  principally  of  nine  large 
islands,  that  form  a  band  of  120  leagues  N.N.S.  to  S.S.W.,  be¬ 
tween  15°  a  id  2°  south  latitude,  and  164°  and  168°  longitude. 
We  passed  tolerably  near  to  the  island  of  Am’ou,  that  at  noon 
looked  like  a  mass  of  green  woods  surmounted  by  a  peak  of 
great  height. 

That  day  being  Christmas  Day,  Ned  Land  seemed  to  regret 
sorely  the  non-celebration  of  “  Christmas,”  the  family  fete  of 
which  Protestants  are  so  fond.  I  had  not  seen  Captain  Nemo 
for  a  week  when,  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  he  came  into  the 
large  drawing-room,  always  seeming  as  if  he  had  seen  you  five 
minutes  before.  I  was  busily  tracing  the  route  of  the  Nautilus 
on  the  planisphere.  The  captain  came  up  to  me,  put  his  finger 
on  one  spot  on  the  chart,  and  said  this  single  word, — 

“  Vanikoro.” 

The  effect  was  magical !  It  was  the  name  of  the  islands  on 
which  La  Perouse  had  been  lost!  I  rose  suddenly.  “The 
Nautilus  has  brought  us  to  Vanikoro?”  I  asked.  “Yes,  Pro¬ 
fessor,”  said  the  Captain.  “And  I  can  visit  the  celebrated 
islands  where  the  Boussole  and  the  Astrolabe  struck  ?  ”  “  If 
you  like.  Professor.”  “  VTien  shall  we  be  there  ?  ”  “  We  are 
there  now.” 

Followed  by  Captain  Nemo,  I  went  up  on  to  the  platform, 
and  greedily  scanned  the  horizon. 

To  the  N.E.  two  volcanic  islands  emerged,  of  unequal  size, 
surrounded  by  a  coral  reef  that  measured  forty  miles  in  cir¬ 
cumference. 

We  were  close  to  Vanikoro,  really  the  one  to  which  Dumont 
d’Urville  gave  tlie  name  of  Isle  de  la  Recherche,  and  exactly 
facing  the  little  liarbor  of  Vanou,  situated  in  16°  4'  south  lati¬ 
tude,  and  164°  32  ea^t  The  earth  seemed  covered 

9 


J.20  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

with  verdure  from  tlie  shore  to  tire  summits  in  the  interior,  that 
were  crowned  by  Mount  KaiDogo,  476  feet  high.  The  Nautilus, 
having  passed  the  outer  belt  of  rocks  by  a  narrow  strait,  found 
itself  among  breakers  \^here  the  sea  was  from  thirty  to  forty 
fathoms  deep.  Under  the  verdant  sliade  of  some  mangroves  I 
perceived  some  savages,  who  appeared  greatly  surprised  at  our 
approach.  In  the  lung  black  body,  moving  between  wind  and 
water,  did  they  not  see  some  formidable  cetacean  that  they  re¬ 
garded  with  suspicion  ? 

Just  then  Captain  Nemo  asked  me  what  I  knew  about  the 
wreck  of  La  Perouse. 

“  Only  what  every  one  knows.  Captain,”  I  replied. 

“And  could  yoa  tell  me  what  every  one  knows  about  it  ?”  he 
inquired  ironically.  “  Easily.” 

I  related  to  liim  all  that  the  last  works  of  Dumont  d’Urville 
had  made  known, — works  from  which  the  following  is  a  brief 
account. 

La  Perouse,  and  his  second,  Captain  de  Langle,  were  sent  by 
Louis  XVI,  in  1785,  on  a  voyage  of  circumnavigation.  They 
embarked  in  the  corvettes  the  Eoussole  and  the  Astrolabe, 
neither  of  which  were  again  heard  of.  In  1791  the  French 
government,  justly  uneasy  as  to  the  fate  of  these  two  sloops, 
manned  two  large  merchantmen,  the  Reclierche  and  the  Esper- 
ance,  which  left  Brest  the  28th  of  September,  under  the  com¬ 
mand  of  Bruni  d’Entrecasteaux. 

Two  months  after,  tliey  learned  from  Bowen,  commander  of 
the  Albemarle,  that  the  debris  of  shipwrecked  vessels  had  been 
seen  on  the  coasts  of  New  Georgia.  But  D’Entrecasteaux, 
ignoring  this  communication, —  rather  uncertain,  besides, — 
directed  his  course  towards  the  Admiralty  Isles,  mentioned  in  a 
report  of  Captain  Eimter’s  as  being  the  place  where  La  Pe¬ 
rouse  was  wreck('d. 

They  sought  in  vain.  The  Esperance  and  the  Recherche 
passed  before  Vanikoro  without  stopping  there,  and  in  fact  this 
voyage  was  most  disastrous,  as  it  cost  D’Entrecasteaux  his  life, 
and  those  of  two  of  his  lieutenants,  besides  several  of  his  crew. 

Captain  Dillon,  a  shrewd  old  Pacific  sailor,  was  the  first  to 
find  unmistalcable  traces  of  the  Y/recl:s.  On  the  15th  of  May, 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  121 


1824,  his  vessel,  the  St.  Patrick,  passed  close  to  Tikopia,  one  of 
the  New  Hebrides.  There  a  Lascar  came  alongside  in  a  canoe, 
sold  him  the  handle  of  a  sword  in  silver,  that  bore  the  print  of 
characters  engraved  on  the  hilt.  The  Lascar  pretended  that 
six  years  before,  during  a  stay  at  Vanikoro,  he  had  seen  two 
Europeans  that  belonged  to  some  vessels  that  had  run  aground 
on  the  reefs  some  years  ago. 

Dillon  guessed  that  he  meant  La  Perouse,  whose  disappear¬ 
ance  had  troubled  the  whole  world.  He  tried  to  get  on  to 
Vanikoro,  where,  according  to  the  Lascar,  he  would  tind  nu¬ 
merous  debris  of  the  wreck,  but  winds  and  tide  prevented  him. 

Dillon  returned  to  Calcutta.  There  he  interested  the  Asiatic 
Society  and  the  Indian  Company  in  his  discovery.  A  vessel,  to 
which  was  given  the  name  of  Recherche,  was  put  at  his  dis¬ 
posal,  and  he  set  out,  January  23, 1827,  accompanied  by  a  French 
agent. 

The  Recherche,  after  touching  at  several  points  in  the  Pacific, 
cast  anchor  before  Vanikoro,  July  7,  1827,  in  this  same  harbor 
of  Vanou  where  the  Nautilus  was  at  this  time. 

There  it  collected  numerous  relics  of  the  wreck, —  iron  uten¬ 
sils,  anchors,  pulley-strops,  swivel-guns,  an  18  lb.  shot,  frag¬ 
ments  of  astronomical  instruments,  a  piece  of  crown-work, 
and  a  bronze  clock,  bearing  this  inscription, — BazinTrCafait^"* 
the  mark  of  the  foundry  of  the  arsenal  at  Brest  about  1785. 
There  could  be  no  further  doubt. 

Dillon,  having  made  all  inquiries,  stayed  in  the  unlucky  place 
till  October.  Then  he  quitted  Vanikoro,  and  directed  his  course 
towards  New  Zealand;  put  into  Calcutta,  April  7,  1828,  and  re¬ 
turned  to  France,  where  he  v;as  warmly  welcomed  by  Charles  X. 

But  at  the  same  time,  without  knowing  Dillon’s  movements, 
Dumont  d’Urville  had  already  set  out  to  find  the  scene  of  the 
WTeck.  And  they  had  learned  from  a  whaler  that  some  medals 
and  a  cross  of  St.  Louis  had  been  found  in  the  hands  of  some 
savages  of  Louisiade  and  New  Caledonia.  Dumont  d’Urville, 
commander  of  the  Astrolabe,  had  then  sailed,  and  two  months 
after  Dillon  had  left  Vanikoro  he  put  into  Hobart  Town.  There 
he  learned  the  results  of  Dillon’s  inquiries,  and  found  that  a 
certain  James  Hobbs,  second  lieutenant  of  the  Union  of  Calcutta, 


122  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

after  landing  on  an  island  situated  8*  18'  south  latitude,  and 
156°  30'  east  longitude,  had  seen  some  iron  bars  and  red  stuffs 
used  by  the  natives  of  these  parts.  Dumont  d’Urville,  much 
perplexed,  and  not  knowing  how  to  credit  the  reports  of  low- 
class  journals,  decided  to  follow  Dillon’s  track. 

On  the  loth  of  February,  1828,  the  Astrolabe  appeared  off 
Tikopia,  and  took  as  guide  and  interpreter  a  deserter  found  on 
the  island;  made  his  way  to  Vanikoro,  sighted  it  on  the  12th 
inst.,  lay  among  the  reefs  until  the  14th,  and  not  until  the  20th 
did  he  cast  anchor  within  the  barrier  in  the  harbor  of  Vanou. 

On  the  23d,  several  officers  went  round  the  island,  and  brought 
back  some  unimportant  trifles.  The  natives,  adopting  a  system 
of  denials  and  evasions,  refused  to  take  them  to  the  unlucky 
place.  This  ambiguous  conduct  led  them  to  believe  that  tht 
natives  had  ill-treated  the  castaways,  and  indeed  they  seemed  to 
fear  that  Dumont  d’Urville  had  come  to  avenge  La  Perouse  and 
his  unfortunate  crew. 

However,  on  the  26th,  appeased  by  some  presents,  and  under¬ 
standing  that  they  had  no  reprisals  to  fear,  they  led  M.  Jacqui- 
reot  to  the  scene  of  the  wreck. 

There,  in  three  or  four  fathoms  of  water,  between  the  reefs 
of  Pacou  and  Vanou,  lay  anchors,  cannons,  pigs  of  lead  and 
iron,  embedded  in  the  limy  concretions.  Tlie  large  boat  and 
the  whaler  belonging  to  the  Astrolabe  were  sent  to  this  place, 
and,  not  without  some  difficulty,  their  crews  hauled  up  an  anchor 
weigMng  1,800  lbs.,  a  brass  gun,  some  pigs  of  iron,  and  two 
copper  swivel-guns. 

Dumont  d’Urville,  questioning  the  natives,  learned,  too,  that 
La  Perouse,  after  losing  both  his  vessels  on  the  reefs  of  this 
island,  had  constructed  a  smaller  boat,  only  to  be  lost  a  second 
time.  Where?— no  one  knew. 

But  the  French  government,  fearing  that  Dumont  d’Urville 
was  not  acquainted  with  Dillon’s  movements,  had  sent  the  sloop 
Bayonnaise,  commanded  by  Legoarant  de  Tromelin,  to  Vaniko¬ 
ro,  which  had  been  stationed  on  the  west  coast  of  America.  The 
Bayonnaise  cast  her  anchor  before  Vanikoro  some  months  after 
the  departure  of  the  Astrolabe,  but  found  no  new  document; 
but  stated  that  the  savages  had  respected  the  monument  to  La 


TWENTY  TUOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  123 


Perouse.  That  is  the  substance  of  what  I  told  to  Captain 
Nemo. 

“  So,”  he  said,  “  no  one  knows  now  where  the  third  vessel 
perished  that  was  constructed  by  the  castawaj^s  on  the  island  of 
Vanikoro?” 

“  No  one  knows.” 

Captain  Nemo  said  nothing,  but  signed  to  me  to  follow  him 
into  the  large  saloon.  The  Nautilus  sank  several  yards  below 
the  waves,  and  the  panels  were  opened. 

I  hastened  to  the  aperture,  and  under  the  crustations  of  coral, 
covered  with  fungi,  syphonules,  alcyons,  madrepores,  through 
mjTiads  of  charming  fish, — gireUes,  glyphisidri,  pompherides, 
diacopes,  and  holocentres, — I  recognized  certain  debris  that  the 
drags  had  not  been  able  to  tear  up;  iron  stirrups,  anchors,  can¬ 
nons,  ballets,  capstan-fittings,  the  stem  of  a  ship, — all  objects 
clearly  proving  the  wreck  of  some  vessel,  and  now  carpeted  with 
living  flowers.  While  I  was  looking  on  this  desolate  scene.  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  said,  in  a  sad  voice, — 

“  Commander  La  Perouse  set  out  December  7,  1785,  with  his 
vessels  La  Bousolle  and  the  Astrolabe.  He  fii'st  cast  anchor  at 
Botany  Bay,  visited  the  Friendly  Isles,  New  Caledonia,  then  di¬ 
rected  his  course  towards  Santa  Cruz,  and  put  into  Namouka, 
on  e  0®  the  H  ipai  group.  Then  his  vessels  struck  on  the  unknown 
reel'^  o,  Vanikoro.  The  Bousolle,  which  went  first,  ran  aground 
01)  the  southerly  coast.  The  Astrolabe  went  to  its  help,  and  ran 
agroun  J  too.  The  first  vessel  was  destroyed  almost  immediately. 
The  second,  stranded  under  the  wind,  resisted  some  days.  The 
natives  made  the  castaways  welcome.  They  installed  them¬ 
selves  in  the  island,  and  constructed  a  smaller  boat  with  the 
debrh  of  the  two  large  ones.  Some  sailors  stayed  willingly  at 
Vanikoro,  the  others,  weak  and  ill,  set  out  with  La  Perouse. 
They  directed  their  course  towards  the  Solomon  Isles,  and  there 
perished,  with  every  thing,  on  the  westerly  coast  of  the  chief 
island  of  the  group,  between  Capes  Deception  and  Satisfac¬ 
tion.” 

“  How  do  you  know  that  ?  ” 

**By  this,  that  I  found  on  the  spot  where  was  the  last  wreck.” 
Captain  Nemo  showed  me  a  lin-piate  box,  stamped  with  the 


124  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEaGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

v' 

French  arms,  and  corroded  by  the  salt  water.  He  opened 
and  I  saw  a  bundle  of  papers,  yellow,  but  still  readable. 

They  were  the  instructions  of  the  naval  minister  to  Com¬ 
mander  La  Perouse,  annotated  in  the  margin  in  Louis  XVI's 
handwriting. 

“Ah!  it  is  a  fine  death  for  a  sailor!”  said  Captain  Nemo, 
at  last.  “A  coral  tomb  makes  a  quiet  grave;  and  I  trust  that 
I  apd  comrades  will  find  no  other.” 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


TORRES  STRAITS. 

Durino  the  iiight  of  the  27th  or  28th  of  December,  the 
Nautilus  left  the  shores  of  Vanikoro  with  great  speed.  Her 
course  was  southwesterly,  and  in  tlmee  days  she  had  gone  over 
the  750  leagues  that  separated  it  from  La  Perouse’s  group 
heading  a  southeast  point,  of  Papua. 

Early  on  the  1st  of  January,  1868,  Conseil  joined  me  on  the 
platform. 

“  Master,  will  you  permit  me  to  wish  you  a  happy  new  year  ?” 

“  AYhat !  Conseil ;  exactly  as  if  I  was  at  Paris  in  my  study 
at  the  Jardin  des  Plantes  2  Well,  I  accept  your  good  wishes, 
and  thank  you  for  them.  Only,  I  will  ask  you  what  you  mean 
by  a  ‘  Happy  new  year,’  under  our  circumstances  ?  Do  you 
mean  the  year  that  will  bring  us  to  the  end  of  our  imprison¬ 
ment,  or  the  year  that  sees  us  continue  this  strange  voyage  ?  ” 

“Really,  I  do  not  know  how  to  answer,  master.  We  are  sure 
to  see  curious  things,  and  for  the  last  two  months  we  have 
not  had  time  for  ennui.  The  last  marvel  is  always  the  most 
astonishing;  and  if  we  continue  this  progression,  I  do  not  know 
how  it  will  end.  It  is  my  opinion  that  we  shall  never  again 
see  the  like.  I  think,  then,  with  no  offense  to  master,  that  a 
happy  year  would  be  one  in  which  we  could  see  every  thing.” 

On  January  2,  we  had  made  11,340  miles,  or  5jJ60  French 
leagues,  since  our  starting  point  in  the  Japan  seas.  Before  the 
ship’s  head  stretched  the  dangerous  shores  of  the  coral  sea, 
on  the  northeast  coast  of  Australia.  Our  boat  lay  along  some 
miles  from  the  redoubtable  bank  on  which  Cook’s  vessel  was 
lost,  June  10, 1770.  The  boat  in  which  Cook  was  struck  on  a 
rock,  and  if  it  did  not  sink,  it  was  owing  to  a  piece  of  tlie 

125 


126  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

coral  that  was  broken  by  the  shock,  and  fixed  itself  in  the 
broken  keel. 

I  had  wished  to  visit  the  reef,  360  leagues  long,  against 
which  the  sea,  always  rough,  broke  with  great  violence, 
with  a  noise  like  thunder.  But  just  at  this  moment  the 
inclined  planes  drew  the  Nautilus  down  to  a  great  depth, 
and  I  could  see  nothing  of  the  high  coral  walls.  I  had 
to  content  myself  with  the  different  specimens  of  fish 
brought  up  by  the  nets.  I  remarked,  among  others,  some 
germons,  a  species  of  mackerel  as  large  as  a  tunny,  with 
bluish  sides,  and  striped  with  transverse  bands,  that  dis¬ 
appear  with  the  animal’s  life.  These  fish  followed  us  in  shoals, 
and  furnished  us  with  very  dehcate  food.  We  took  also  a  large 
number  of  giltheads,  about  one  and  a  half  inches  long,  tasting 
liAe  dorys;  and  flying  pyrapeds  like  submarine  swallows, 
which,  in  dark  nights,  light  alternately  the  air  and  water  with 
their  phosphorescent  light.  Among  the  molluscs  and  zoophytes, 
I  found  in  the  meshes  of  the  net  several  species  of  alcyona- 
rians,  echini,  hammers,  spurs,  dials,  cerites,  and  hyallese. 
The  flora  was  represented  by  beautiful  floating  sea-weeds,  lami- 
narise,  and  macrocystes,  impregnated  v/ith  the  mucilage  that 
transudes  through  their  pores;  and  among  which  I  gathered 
an  admirable  Nemastorna  Geliniarois^  that  was  classed  among 
the  natural  curiosities  of  the  museum. 

Two  days  after  crossing  the  coral  sea,  January  4,  we  sighted 
the  Papuan  coasts.  On  this  occasion.  Captain  Nemo  informed 
me  tliat  his  intention  was  to  get  into  the  Indian  Ocean  by  the 
Strait  of  Torres.  His  communication  ended  there. 

The  Torres  Straits  are  nearly  thirty-four  leagues  wide;  but 
they  are  obstructed  by  an  innumerable  quantity  of  islands,  islets, 
breakers,  and  rocks,  that  make  its  navigation  almost  impractic¬ 
able;  so  that  Captain  Nemo  took  all  needful  precautions  to  cross 
them.  The  Nautilus,  floating  betwixt  wind  and  water,  went  at 
a  moderate  pace.  Her  screw,  like  a  cetacean’s  tail,  beat  the 
waves  slowly. 

Profiting  by  this,  I  and  my  two  companions  went  up  on  to  the 
deserted  platform.  Before  us  was  the  steersman’s  cage,  and  I 
expected  that  Captain  Nemo  was  there  directing  the  course  of 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  127 


the  Nautilus.  I  had  before  me  the  excellent  charts  of  the  Strait 
of  Torres,  made  out  by  tho  hydrographical  engineer  Vincendon 
Dumoulin.  These  and  Captain  King’s  are  the  best  charts  that 
clear  the  intricacies  of  this  strait,  and  I  consulted  them  atten¬ 
tively.  Round  the  Nautilus  the  sea  dashed  furiously.  The 
course  of  the  waves,  that  went  from  southeast  to  northwest  at 
the  rate  of  two  and  a  half  miles,  broke  on  the  coral  that  showed 
itself  here  and  there. 

“  This  is  a  bad  sea !  ”  remarked  Ned  Land. 

“  Detestable  indeed,  and  one  that  does  not  suit  a  boat  like  the 
Nautilus.” 

“  The  captain  must  be  very  sure  of  Ms  route,  for  I  see  there 
pieces  of  coral  that  would  do  for  its  keel  if  it  only  touched  them 
slightly.” 

Indeed  the  situation  was  dangerous,  but  the  Nautilus  seemed 
to  slide  like  magic  off  these  rocks.  It  did  not  follow  the  routes 
of  the  Astrolabe  and  the  Zelee  exactly,  for  they  proved  fatal  to 
Dumont  d’Urville.  It  bore  more  northwards,  coasted  the  Island 
of  Murray,  and  came  back  to  the  southwest  towards  Cumberland 
Passage.  I  thought  it  was  going  to  pass  it  by,  when,  going  back 
to  northwest,  it  went  through  a  large  quantity  of  islands  and  islets 
little  known,  towards  the  Island  Sound  and  Canal  Mauvais. 

I  wondered  if  Captain  Nemo,  foolishly  imprudent,  would 
steer  his  vessel  into  that  pass  where  Dumont  d’Urville’s  two  cor¬ 
vettes  touched;  when,  swerving  again,  and  cutting  straight 
through  to  the  west,  he  steered  for  the  Island  of  Gilboa. 

It  was  then  three  in  the  afternoon.  The  tide  began  to  recede, 
being  quite  full.  The  Nautilus  approached  the  island,  that  I 
still  saw,  with  its  remarkable  border  of  screw-pines.  He  stood 
off  it  at  about  two  miles  distanU  Suddenly  a  shock  overthrew 
me.  The  Nautilus  just  touched  a  rock,  and  stayed  immovable, 
laying  lightly  to  port  side. 

When  I  rose,  I  perceived  Captain  Nemo  and  his  lieutenant  oa 
the  platform.  They  were  examining  the  situation  of  the  vessel, 
and  exchanging  words  in  their  incomprehensible  dialect. 

She  was  situated  thus:  two  miles,  on  the  starboard  side 
appeared  Gilboa,  stretching  from  north  to  west  like  an  im¬ 
mense  arm;  towards  the  south  and  east  some  coral  showed 


128  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

itself,  left  by  the  ebb.  We  had  run  aground,  and  in  one  of 
those  seas  where  the  tides  are  middling,— a  sorry  matter  for  the 
floating  of  the  Nautilus.  However,  the  vessel  had  not  suffered, 
for  her  keel  was  solidly  joined.  But  if  she  could  neither  glide 
off  nor  move,  she  ran  the  risk  of  being  forever  fastened  to  these 
rocks,  and  then  Captain  Nemo’s  submaruie  vessel  would  be  done 
for. 

I  was  reflecting  thus,  when  the  captain,  cool  and  calm 
always  master  of  himself,  approached  me. 

“  An  accident  ?  ”  I  asked. 

“No;  an  incident.” 

“  But  an  incident  that  will  oblige  you  perhaps  to  become  ai 
inhabitant  of  this  land  from  which  you  flee  ?  ” 

Captain  Nemo  looked  at  me  curiously,  and  made  a  negative 
gesture,  as  much  as  to  say  that  nothing  would  force  him  to  set 
foot  on  terra  firma  again.  Then  he  said, — 

“Besides,  M.  Aroiinax,  the  Nautilus  is  not  lost;  it  will  carry 
you  yet  into  the  midst  of  the  marvels  of  the  ocean.  Our  voyage 
is  only  begun,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  be  deprived  so  soon  of  the 
honor  of  your  company.” 

“  However,  Captain  Nemo,”  I  replied,  without  noticing  the 
ironical  turn  of  his  phrase,  “  the  Nautilus  ran  aground  in  open 
sea.  Now  the  tides  are  not  strong  in  the  Pacific;  and  if  you  can 
not  lighten  the  Nautilus,  I  do  not  see  how  it  will  be  reinflated.” 

“The  tides  are  not  strong  in  the  Pacific:  you  are  right  there, 
Professor;  but  in  Torres  Straits,  one  finds  still  a  difference  of  a 
yard  and  a  half  between  the  level  of  high  and  low  seas.  To¬ 
day  is  January  4,  and  in  five  days  the  moon  will  be  full.  Now, 
I  shall  be  very  much  astonished  if  that  complaisant  satellite  does 
not  raise  these  masses  of  water  sufficiently,  and  render  me  a 
service  that  I  should  be  indebted  to  her  for.” 

Having  said  this.  Captain  Nemo,  followed  by  his  lieutenant, 
re-descended  to  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus.  As  to  the  vessel,  it 
moved  not,  and  was  immovable,  as  if  the  coralline  polypi  had 
already  walled  it  up  with  their  indestructible  cement. 

“Well,  sir?”  said  Ned  Land,  who  came  up  to  me  after  the  de¬ 
parture  of  the  captain. 

“Well,  friend  Ned,  we  will  wait  patiently  for  the  tide  on  the 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  129 


Pth  instant,  for  it  appears  that  the  moon  will  have  the  goodness 
to  put  it  otf  again.” 

“Really?” 

“  Really.” 

“And  this  captain  is  not  going  to  cast  anchor  at  all,  since  tne 
tide  will  suihce?”  said  Conseil,  simply. 

The  Canadian  looked  at  Conseil,  then  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

“  Sir,  you  may  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  this  piece  of 
iron  will  navigate  neither  on  nor  under  the  sea  again;  it  is  only 
fit  to  be  sold  for  its  weight.  I  think,  therefore,  that  the  time  has 
come  to  part  company  with  Captain  Nemo.” 

“  Friend  Ned,  I  do  not  despair  of  this  stout  Nautilus,  as  you 
do;  and  in  four  days  we  shall  know  what  to  hold  to  on  the 
Pacific  tides.  Besides,  flight  might  be  possible  if  we  were  in 
sight  of  the  English  or  Provencal  coasts;  but  on  the  Papuan 
shores,  it  is  another  thing;  and  it  will  be  time  enough  to  come 
to  that  extremity  if  the  Nautilus  does  not  recover  itself  again, 
which  I  look  upon  as  a  grave  event.” 

“But  do  they  know,  at  least,  how  to  act  circumspectly?  There 
is  an  island;  on  that  island  there  are  trees;  under  those  trees, 
terrestrial  animals,  bearers  of  cutlets  and  roast-beef,  to  which  I 
would  willingly  give  a  trial.” 

“In  this,  friend  Ned  is  right,”  said  Conseil,  “and  I  agree  with 
him.  Could  not  master  obtain  permission  from  his  friend 
Captain  Nemo  to  put  us  on  land,  if  only  so  as  not  to  lose 
the  habit  of  treading  on  the  solid  parts  of  our  planet?” 

“  I  can  ask  him,  but  he  will  refuse.” 

“Will  master  risk  it?”  asked  Conseil,  “ and  we  shall  know 
how  to  rely  upon  the  captain’s  amiability.” 

To  my  great  surprise  Captain  Nemo  gave  me  the  permission 
I  asked  for,  and  he  gave  it  very  agreeably,  withofit  even  exact¬ 
ing  from  me  a  promise  to  return  to  the  vessel;  but  flight 
across  New  Guinea  might  be  very  perilous,  and  I  should  not  have 
counselled  Ned  Land  to  attempt  it.  Better  to  be  a  prisoner  on 
board  the  Nautilus  than  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  natives. 

At  eight  o’clock,  anned  with  guns  and  hatchets,  w^e  got  off 
the  Nautilus.  The  seaw^as  pretty  calm;  a  slight  breeze  blew 
on  land.  Conseil  and  I  rowing,  we  sped  along  quickly,  and 


130  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

Ned  steered  in  the  straight  passage  that  the  breakers  left 
between  them.  The  boat  was  well  handled,  and  moved 
rapidly. 

Ned  Land  could  not  restrain  his  joy.  He  was  like  a  prisoner 
that  had  escaped  from  prison,  and  knew  not  that  it  was 
necessary  to  re-enter  it. 

“Meat!  We  are  going  to  eat  some  meat;  and  what  meat!” 
he  rephed.  “Real  game!  no,  bread,  indeed.” 

“I  do  not  say  that  fish  is  not  good;  we  must  not  abuse  it;  but 
a  piece  of  fresh  venison  grilled  on  live  coals  will  agreeably  vary 
our  ordinary  course.” 

“Gourmand!”  said  Conseil;  “he  makes  my  mouth  water.” 

“It  remains  to  be  seen,”  I  said,  “if  these  forests  are  full  of 
game,  and  if  the  game  is  not  such  as  will  hunt  the  hunter 
himself.” 

“  Well  said,  M.  Aronnax,”  replied  the  Canadian,  whose  teeth 
seemed  sharpened  like  the  edge  of  a  hatchet;  “but  I  will  eat 
tiger,— loin  of  tiger,— if  there  is  no  other  quadruped  on  this 
island.” 

“Friend  Ned  is  uneasy  about  it,”  said  Conseil. 

“Whatever  it  may  be,”  continued  Ned  Land,  “ every  animal 
with  four  paws  without  feathers,  or  with  two  paws  without 
feathers,  will  be  saluted  by  my  first  shot.” 

“  Very  weU !  Master  Land’s  imprudences  are  begmning.” 

“Never  fear,  M.  Aronnax,”  replied  the  Canadian ;  “I  do  not 
want  twenty-five  minutes  to  offer  you  a  dish  of  my  sort.” 

At  half  past  eight  the  Nautilus  boat  ran  softly  aground, 
on  a  heavy  sand,  after  having  happily  passed  the  coral  reef 
that  surrounds  the  Island  of  Gilboa, 


CHAPTER  XX 


A  FEW  DAYS  ON  LAND. 

I  WAS  much  impressed  on  touching  land.  Ned  Land  tried 
the  soil  with  his  feet,  as  if  to  take  possession  of  it.  However, 
it  was  only  two  months  before  that  we  had  become,  accord¬ 
ing  to  Captain  Nemo,  “passengers  on  board  the  Nautilus,” 
but,  in  reality,  prisoners  of  its  commander. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  were  within  musket-shot  of  the  coast. 
The  soil  was  almost  entirely  madreporical,  but  certain  beds 
of  dried-up  torrents  strewn  with  debris  of  granite  showed  that 
this  island  was  of  the  primary  formation.  The  whole  horizon 
was  hidden  behind  a  beautiful  curtain  of  forests.  Enormous 
trees,  the  trimks  of  which  attained  a  height  of  200  feet,  were 
tied  to  each  other  by  garlands  of  bindweed,  real  natural  ham¬ 
mocks,  which  a  light  breeze  rocked.  They  were  mimosas, 
ficuses,  casuarinse,  teks,  liibisci,  and  palm-trees,  mingled  to¬ 
gether  in  profusion ;  and  under  the  shelter  of  their  verdant 
vault  grew  orchids,  leguminous  plants,  and  ferns. 

But  without  noticing  all  these  beautiful  specimens  of  Papuan 
flora,  the  Canadian  abandoned  the  agreeable  for  the  useful. 
He  discovered  a  cocoa-tree,  beat  down  some  of  the  fruit,  broke 
them,  and  we  drunk  the  milk  and  ate  the  nut  with  a  satisfac¬ 
tion  that  protested  against  the  ordinary  food  on  the  Nautilus. 

“Excellent !  ”  said  Ned  Land. 

“  Exquisite !  ”  replied  Conseil. 

“And  I  do  not  think,”  said  the  Canadian,  “that he  would 
object  to  our  introducing  a  cargo  of  cocoanuts  on  board.” 

“I  do  not  think  he  would,  but  he  would  not  taste  them.” 

“  So  much  the  worse  for  him,”  said  Conseil. 

131 


132  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“And  so  much  the  better  for  us,”  replied  Ned  Land.  “There 
will  be  more  for  us.” 

“  One  word  only,  Master  Land,”  I  said  to  the  harpooner,  who 
was  beginning  to  ravage  another  cocoanut-tree.  “  Cocoanuts 
are  good  things,  but  before  tilling  the  canoe  with  them,  it 
would  be  wise  to  reconnoitre  and  see  if  the  island  does  not 
produce  some  substance  not  less  useful.  Fresh  vegetables 
would  be  welcome  on  board  the  Nautilus.” 

“  Master  is  right,”  replied  Conseil ;  “  and  I  propose  to  reserve 
three  places  in  our  vessel :  one  for  fruits,  the  other  for  vege¬ 
tables,  and  the  third  for  the  venison,  of  wliich  I  have  not  yet 
seen  the  smallest  specimen.” 

“  Conseil,  we  must  not  despair,”  said  the  Canadian. 

“  Let  us  continue,”  I  returned,  “  and  lie  in  wait.  Although 
the  island  seems  uninhabited,  it  might  still  contain  some  indi¬ 
viduals  that  would  be  less  hard  than  we  on  the  nature  of  game.” 

“  Ho  !  ho !  ”  said  Ned  Land,  moving  Ms  jaws  significantly. 

“Well,  Ned  !”  cried  Conseil. 

“  My  word !  ”  returned  the  Canadian,  “  I  begin  to  understand 
the  charms  of  anthropophagy.” 

“  Ned !  Ned  !  what  are  you  saying  ?  You,  a  man-eater  ?  I 
should  not  feel  safe  with  you,  especially  as  I  share  your  cabin. 
I  might  perhaps  wake  one  day  to  tind  myself  half  devoured.” 

“  Friend  Conseil,  I  hke  you  much,  but  not  enough  to  eat  you 
unnecessarily.” 

“  1  would  not  trust  you,”  replied  Conseil.  “But  enough.  We 
must  absolutely  bring  down  some  game  to  satisfy  this  cannibal, 
or  else,  one  of  these  fine  mornings,  master  will  find  only  pieces 
of  his  servant  to  serve  him.” 

While  we  were  talking  thus,  we  were  penetrating  the  somber 
arches  of  the  forest,  and  for  two  hours  we  surveyed  it  in  all 
directions. 

Chance  rewarded  our  search  for  eatable  vegetables,  and  one 
of  the  most  useful  products  of  the  tropical  zones  furnished  us 
with  precious  food  that  we  missed  on  board.  I  would  speak  of 
the  bread-fruit  tree,  very  abundant  in  the  Island  of  Gilboa;  and 
I  remarked  cliiefly  the  variety  destitute  of  seeds,  which  bears  in 
Malaya  the  name  of  “  rima.” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


138 


Ned  Land  knew  these  fruits  well.  He  had  already  eaten 
many  during  his  numerous  voyages,  and  he  knew  how  to  pre¬ 
pare  the  eatable  substance.  Moreover,  the  sight  of  them  excited 
him,  and  he  could  contain  liimself  no  longer. 

“  Master,”  he  said,  “  I  shall  die  if  I  do  not  taste  a  little  of  this 
bread-fruit  pie.” 

“  Taste  it,  friend  Ned,  taste  it  as  you  want.  We  are  here  to 
make  experiments, — make  them.” 

“  It  won’t  take  long,”  said  the  Canadian. 

And  provided  with  a  lenth,  he  lighted  a  fire  of  dead  wood, 
that  crackled  joyously.  During  this  time,  Conseil  and  I  chose 
the  best  fruits  of  the  artocarpus.  Some  had  not  then  attained 
a  sufficient  degree  of  maturity,  and  then-  thick  skin  covered  a 
•'White  but  rather  fibrous  pulr.  Others,  the  greater  number 
yellow  and  gelatinous,  waited  only  to  be  picked. 

These  fruits  enclose  no  kernel.  Conseil  brought  a  dozen 
to  Ned  Land,  who  placed  them  on  a  coal  fire,  after  having  cut 
them  in  thick  slices,  and  while  doing  this  repeating, — 

You  will  see,  master,  how  good  tliis  bread  is.  More  so  when 
one  has  been  deprived  of  it  so  long.  It  is  not  even  bread,”  added 
he,  “  but  a  delicate  pastry.  You  have  eaten  none,  master  ?” 

“No,  Ned.” 

“  Very  weU,  prepare  yourself  for  a  juicy  thing.  If  you  do  not 
come  for  more,  I  am  no  longer  the  king  of  harpooners.” 

After  some  minutes,  the  part  of  the  fruits  that  was  exposed  to 
the  fire  was  completely  roasted.  Tlie  interior  looked  like  a 
white  pasty,  a  sort  of  soft  crumb,  the  flavor  of  which  was  like 
that  of  an  artichoke. 

It  must  be  confessed  tliis  bread  was  excellent,  and  I  ate  of  it 
with  great  relish. 

“  What  time  is  it  now?”  asked  the  Canadian. 

“  Two  o’clock  at  least,”  replied  Conseil. 

“  How  time  flies  on  firm  ground !  ”  sighed  Ned  Land. 

“  Let  us  be  off,”  replied  Conseil. 

We  returned  through  the  forest,  and  completed  our  collection 
by  a  raid  upon  the  cabbage-palms,  that  we  gathered  from  the 
tops  of  the  trees,  little  beans  that  I  recognized  as  the“abrou”of 
the  Malays,  and  yams  of  a  superior  quality. 

10 


134  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

We  were  loaded  when  we  reached  the  boat.  But  Ned  Land 
did  not  find  his  provision  sufficient.  Fate,  however,  favored  us. 
Just  as  we  were  pushing  off,  he  perceived  several  trees,  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  feet  high,  a  species  of  palm-tree.  These 
trees,  as  valuable  as  the  artocarpus,  justly  are  reckoned  among 
the  most  useful  products  of  Malaya. 

At  last,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  loaded  with  our  riches, 
we  quitted  the  shore,  and  half  an  hour  after  we  hailed  tlio 
Nautilus.  No  one  appeared  on  our  arrival.  The  enormous  iron- 
plated  cylinder  seemed  deserted.  The  provisions  embarked,  I 
descended  to  my  chamber,  and  after  supper  slept  soundly. 

The  next  day,  January  6,  nothing  new  on  board.  Not  a 
sound  inside,  not  a  sign  of  life.  The  boat  rested  along  the  edge, 
in  the  same  place  in  which  we  had  left  it.  We  resolved  to 
return  to  the  island.  Ned  Land  hoped  to  be  more  fortunate 
than  on  the  day  before  with  regard  to  the  hunt,  and  wished  to 
visit  another  part  of  the  forest. 

At  dawn  we  set  off.  The  boat,  carried  on  by  the  waves  that 
flowed  to  shore,  reached  the  island  in  a  few  minutes. 

We  landed,  and  thinking  that  it  was  better  to  give  in  to  the 
Canadian,  we  followed  Ned  Land,  whose  long  limbs  threatened 
to  distance  us.  He  wound  up  the  coast  towards  the  west;  then, 
fording  some  torrents,  he  gained  the  high  plain  that  was  bor¬ 
dered  with  admirable  forests.  Some  kingfishers  were  rambling 
along  the  water-courses,  but  they  would  not  let  themselves  be 
approached.  Their  circumspection  proved  to  me  that  these 
bu’ds  knew  what  to  expect  from  bipeds  of  our  species,  and  I 
concluded  that,  if  the  island  was  not  inhabited,  at  least  human 
beings  occasionally  frequented  it. 

After  crossing  a  rather  large  prairie,  we  arrived  at  the  skirts 
of  a  little  wood  that  was  enlivened  by  the  songs  and  flight  of  a 
large  number  of  birds. 

“  There  are  only  birds  !  ”  said  Conseil. 

“  But  they  are  eatable,”  replied  the  harpooner. 

“I  do  not  agree  with  you,  friend  Ned,  for  I  see  only  parrots 
there.” 

“Friend  Conseil,”  said  Ned,  gravely,  “the  parrot  is  like  pheas¬ 
ant  to  those  who  have  nothing  else,” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  135 

e 

“And,”  I  added,  “this  bird,  suitably  prepared,  is  worth  knife 
and  fork.” 

Indeed,  under  the  thick  foliage  of  this  wood,  a  world  of  par¬ 
rots  were  flying  from  branch  to  branch,  only  needing  a  careful 
education  to  speak  the  hmnan  language.  For  the  moment, 
they  were  chattering  with  parrots  of  all  colors,  and  grave 
cockatoos,  who  seemed  to  meditate  upon  some  philosophical 
problem,  whilst  brilliant  red  lories  passed  like  a  piece  of  bunt¬ 
ing  carried  away  by  the  breeze;  papuans,  with  the  finest  azure 
colors,  and  in  all  a  variety  of  winged  things  most  charming  to 
behold,  but  few  eatable. 

However,  a  bird  peculiar  to  these  lands,  and  which  has  never 
passed  the  limits  of  the  Arrow  and  Papuan  islands,  was  wanting 
in  this  collection.  But  fortune  reserved  it  for  me  before  long. 

After  passing  through  a  moderately  thick  copse,  we  found  a 
plain  obstructed  with  bushes.  I  saw  then  those  magnificent 
birds,  the  disposition  of  whose  long  feathers  obliges  them  to  fly 
against  the  wind.  Their  undulating  flight,  graceful  aerial 
curves,  and  the  shading  of  their  colors,  attracted  and  charmed 
one’s  looks.  I  had  no  trouble  in  recognizing  them. 

“  Birds  of  Paradise  !  ”  I  exclaimed. 

The  Malays,  who  carry  on  a  great  trade  in  these  birds  with 
the  Chinese,  have  several  means  that  we  could  not  employ 
for  taking  them.  Sometimes  tliey  put  snares  at  the  top  of 
high  trees  that  the  birds  of  Paradise  prefer  to  frequent.  Some¬ 
times  they  catch  them  with  a  viscous  bird-lime  that  paralyzes 
their  movements.  They  even  go  so  far  as  to  poison  the  foun¬ 
tains  that  the  birds  generally  drink  from.  But  we  were  obliged 
to  fire  at  them  during  flight,  which  gave  us  few  chances  to 
bring  them  down ;  and  indeed,  we  vainly  exhausted  one  half  of 
our  ammunition. 

About  eleven  o’clock  in  the  morning,  the  first  range  of  moun¬ 
tains  that  form  the  centre  of  the  island  was  traversed,  and  we 
had  killed  nothing.  Ranger  drove  us  on.  The  hunters  had  re¬ 
lied  on  the  products  of  the  chase,  and  they  were  wrong.  Hap¬ 
pily  Conseil,  to  his  great  surprise,  made  a  double  shot  and 
secured  breakfast.  He  lu-ought  down  a  wdiite  pigeon  and  a 
wood-pigeon,  which,  cleverly  plucked  and  suspended  from  a 


10 


136  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

t 

skewer,  were  roasted  before  a  red  fire  of  dead  wood.  Whilst 
these  interesting  birds  were  cooking,  Ned  prepared  the  fruit  of 
the  artocarpus.  Then  the  wood-pigeons  were  devoured  to  the 
bones,  and  declared  excellent.  The  nutmeg,  with  which  they 
are  in  the  habit  of  stuffing  their  crops,  flavors  their  flesh  and 
renders  it  delicious  eating. 

“  Now,  Ned,  what  do  you  miss  now  ?  ” 

“  Some  four-footed  game,  M.  Aronnax.  All  these  pigeons  are 
only  side-dishes  and  trifles ;  and  until  I  have  killed  an  animal 
with  cutlets,  I  shall  not  be  content.*’ 

“  Nor  I,  Ned,  if  I  do  not  catch  a  bird  of  Paradise.” 

“Let  us  continue  hunting,”  replied  Conseil.  “Let  us  go 
towards  the  sea.  We  have  arrived  at  the  first  dechvities  of  the 
mountains,  and  I  think  we  had  better  regain  the  region  of  for¬ 
ests.” 

That  was  sensible  advice,  and  was  followed  out.  After  walk¬ 
ing  for  one  hour,  we  had  attained  a  forest  of  sago-trees.  Some 
inoffensive  serpents  glided  away  from  us;  the  birds  of  Paradise 
fled  at  our  approach,  and  truly  I  despaired  of  getting  near  one, 
when  Conseil,  who  was  walking  in  front,  suddenly  bent  down, 
uttered  a  triumphal  cry,  and  came  back  to  me  bringing  a  mag¬ 
nificent  specimen. 

“  Ah !  bravo,  Conseil !  ”  “  Master  is  very  good.” 

“No,  my  boy;  you  have  made  an  excellent  stroke.  Take  one 
of  these  lining  birds,  and  carry  it  in  your  hand.” 

“  If  master  will  examine  it,  he  will  see  that  I  have  not  de¬ 
served  great  merit.” 

“  Why,  Conseil  ?  ”  “  Because  this  bird  is  as  drunk  as  a  quail.” 

“Drunk!” 

“Yes,  sir;  drunk  with  the  nutmegs  that  it  devoured  under 
the  nutmeg-tree,  under  which  I  found  it.  See,  friend  Ned,  see 
the  monstrous  effects  of  intemperance  !  ” 

“By  Jove !”  exclaimed  the  Canadian,  “  because  I  have  drunk 
gin  for  two  months,  you  must  needs  reproach  me  !  ” 

However,  I  examined  the  curious  bird.  Conseii  was  right. 
The  bird,  drunk  with  the  juice,  was  quite  powerless.  It  could 
not  fly  ;  it  could  hardly  walk. 

This  bird  belonged  to  the  most  beautiful  of  the  eight  species 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  137 


that  are  found  in  Papua  and  in  the  neighboring  islands.  It 
was  the  “  large  emerald  bird,  the  most  rare  kind.”  It  meas¬ 
ured  three  feet  in  length.  Its  head  was  comparatively  small, 
its  eyes  placed  near  the  opening  of  the  beak,  and  also  small. 
But  the  sliados  of  color  were  beautiful,  having  a  yellow  beak, 
brown  feet  and  claws,  nut-colored  wings  with  purple  tips,  pale 
yellow  at  the  back  of  the  neck  and  head,  and  emerald  color  at 
the  throat,  chestnut  on  the  breast  and  belly.  Two  horned 
downy  nets  rose  from  below  the  tail,  that  prolonged  the  long 
light  feathers  of  admirable  fineness,  and  they  completed  the 
whole  of  this  marvellous  bird,  that  the  natives  have  poetically 
named  the  “  bird  of  the  sun.” 

But  if  my  wishes  were  satisfied  by  the  possession  of  the  bird 
of  Paradise,  the  Canadian’s  were  not  yet.  Happily  about  two 
o’clock  Ned  Land  brought  down  a  magnificent  hog,  from  the 
brood  of  those  the  natives  call  “  bari-outang.”  The  animal 
came  in  time  for  us  to  procure  real  quadruped  meat,  and  he  was 
well  received.  Ned  Land  was  very  proud  of  his  shot.  The  hog, 
hit  by  the  electric  ball,  fell  stone  dead.  The  Canadian  skinned 
and  cleaned  it  properly,  after  having  taken  half  a  dozen  cut¬ 
lets,  destined  to  furnish  us  with  a  grilled  repast  in  the  evening. 
Then  the  hunt  was  resumed,  which  was  still  more  marked  by 
Ned  and  Conseil’s  exploits. 

Indeed,  the  two  friends,  beating  the  bushes,  roused  a  herd  of 
kangaroos,  that  fled  and  bounded  along  on  their  elastic  paws. 
But  these  animals  did  not  take  flight  so  rapidly  but  what  the 
electric  capsule  could  stop  their  course. 

“Ah,  Professor !”  cried  Ned  Land,  who  was  carried  away  by 
the  delights  of  the  chase,  “  wliat  excellent  game !  and  stewed 
too  !  What  a  supply  for  the  Nautilus  !  two  !  three  !  five  down  ! 
And  to  think  that  we  shall  eat  that  flesh,  and  that  the  idiots  on 
board  shall  not  have  a  crumb  !  ” 

I  think  that,  in  the  excess  of  his  joy,  the  Canadian,  if  he  had 
not  talked  so  much,  would  have  killed  them  all.  But  he  con¬ 
tented  himself  with  a  single  dozen  of  these  interesting  marsu- 
pians.  These  animals  were  small.  They  were  a  species  of 
those  “  kangaroo  rabbits  ”  that  live  habitually  in  the  hollows  of 
trees,  and  whose  speed  is  extreme ;  but  they  are  moderately 


188  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

V. 

fat,  and  furnish,  at  least,  estimable  food.  We  were  very  satis¬ 
fied  with  the  results  of  the  hunt.  Happy  Ned  proposed  to 
return  to  this  enchanting  island  the  next  day,  for  he  wished  to 
depopulate  it  of  all  the  eatable  quadrupeds.  But  he  reckoned 
without  his  host. 

At  six  o’clock  in  the  evening  we  had  regained  the  shore ; 
our  boat  was  moored  to  the  usual  place.  The  Nautilus,  like  a 
long  rock,  emerged  from  the  waves  two  miles  from  the  beach, 
Ned  Land,  without  waiting,  occupied  himself  about  the  impor¬ 
tant  dinner  business.  He  understood  all  about  cooking  well. 
The  “  bari-outang,”  grilled  on  the  coals,  soon  scented  the  air 
with  a  delicious  odor. 

Indeed,  the  dinner  was  excellent.  Two  wood-pigeons  com¬ 
pleted  this  extraordinary  menu.  The  sago  pasty,  the  artocarpus 
bread,  some  mangoes,  half  a  dozen  pineapples,  and  the  liquor 
fermented  from  some  cocoanuts,  overjoyed  us.  I  even  think 
that  my  worthy  companions’  ideas  had  not  aU  the  plainness 
desirable. 

“  Suppose  we  do  not  return  to  the  Nautilus  this  evening  ?  ” 
said  Conseil. 

“Suppose  we  never  return  ?”  added  Ned  Land. 

Just  then  a  stone  fell  at  our  feet,  and  cut  short  the  har- 
pooner’s  proposition. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


CAPTAIN  nemo’s  THUNDERBOLT. 

We  looked  at  the  edge  of  the  forest  without  rising,  my  hand 
stopping  in  the  action  of  putting  it  to  my  mouth,  Ned  Land’s 
completing  its  office. 

“Stones  do  not  fall  from  the  sky,”  remarked  Con  sell,  “or  they 
would  merit  the  name  of  aerolites.” 

A  second  stone,  carefully  aimed,  that  made  a  savory  pigeon’s 
leg  fall  from  Conseil’s  hand,  gave  still  more  weight  to  his  obser¬ 
vation.  We  all  three  arose,  shouldered  om*  guns,  and  were 
ready  to  reply  to  any  attack. 

“Are  they  apes?”  cried  Ned  Land. 

“Very  nearly, — they  are  savages.” 

“To  the  boat!”  I  said,  hurrying  to  the  sea. 

It  was  indeed  necessary  to  beat  a  retreat,  for  about  twenty 
natives,  armed  with  bows  and  slings,  appeared  on  the  skirts 
of  a  copse  that  masked  the  horizon  to  the  right,  hardly  a 
hundred  steps  from  us. 

Our  boat  was  moored  about  sixty  feet  from  us.  The  savages 
approached  us,  not  runnuig,  but  making  hostile  demonstrations. 
Stones  and  arrows  fell  thickly. 

Ned  Land  had  not  wished  to  leave  his  provisions;  and,  in 
spite  of  his  imminent  danger,  liis  pig  on  one  side,  and  kan¬ 
garoos  on  the  other,  he  went  tolerably  fast.  In  two  minutes  we 
were  on  the  shore.  To  load  the  boat  with  pro^dsions  and  arms, 
to  push  it  out  to  sea,  and  ship  the  oars,  was  the  work  of  an 
instant.  We  had  not  gone  two  cable-lengths  when  a  hundred 
savages,  howling  and  gesticulating,  entered  the  water  up  to 
their  waists.  I  watched  to  see  if  their  apparitio..  would  attract 

m 


140  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

some  men  from  the  Nautilus  on  to  the  platform.  But  no. 
The  enormous  machine,  lying  off,  was  absolutely  deserted. 

Twenty  minutes  later  v/a  were  on  board.  The  panels  were 
open.  After  mailing  the  boat  fast,  we  entered  into  the  interior 
of  the  Nautilus. 

I  descended  to  the  drawing-room,  from  whence  I  heard  some 
chords.  Captain  Nemo  was  there,  bending  over  liis  organ,  and 
plunged  in  a  musical  ecstasy.  “Captain!”  He  did  not  hear  me. 
“Captain!”  I  said  again,  touching  his  hand. 

He  shuddered,  and,  turning  round,  said,  “Ah!  is  it  you.  Pro¬ 
fessor?  Well,  have  you  had  a  good  hunt?  Have  you  botanized 
successfully?” 

“Yes,  Captain;  but  we  have  unfortunately  brought  a  troop  of 
bipeds,  whose  vicinity  troubles  me.” 

“  What  bipeds?” 

“  Savages.” 

“Savages!”  he  echoed  ironically.  “So  you  are  astonished, 
Professor,  at  having  set  foot  on  a  strange  land  and  finding  sav¬ 
ages?  Savages!  where  are  there  not  any?  Besides,  are  they 
worse  than  others,  these  whom  you  call  savages?” 

“But,  Captain  —  ” 

“  How  many  have  you  counted?” 

“  A  hundred  at  least.” 

“  M.  Aronnax,”  rephed  Captain  Nemo,  placing  his  fingers  on 
the  organ  stops,  “  when  all  the  natives  of  Papua  are  assembled 
on  this  shore,  the  Nautilus  will  have  nothing  to  fear  from  their 
attacks.” 

The  captain’s  fingers  were  then  running  over  the  keys  of  the 
instrument,  and  I  remarked  that  he  touched  only  the  black 
keys,  which  gave  to  his  melodies  an  essentially  Scotcli  character. 
Soon  he  had  forgotten  my  presence,  and  had  plunged  into  a 
reverie  that  I  did  not  disturb.  I  went  up  again  on  to  the  plat¬ 
form, — night  had  already  fallen;  for,  in  this  low  latitude,  the 
sun  sets  rapidly  and  without  twilight.  I  could  only  see  the 
island  indistinctly;  but  the  numerous  fires  lighted  on  the  beach 
showed  that  the  natives  did  not  think  of  leaving  it.  I  was  alone 
for  several  hours,  sometimes  thinking  of  the  natives, — but  with¬ 
out  any  dread  of  them,  for  the  imperturbable  confidence  of  the 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  141 


captain  was  catching, —  sometimes  forgetting  them  to  admiie 
the  splendors  of  the  nighl  in  the  tropics.  My  remembrances 
went  to  France,  in  the  train  of  those  zodiacal  stars  that  would 
sliine  in  some  hours’  time.  The  moon  shone  in  the  midst  of  the 
constellations  of  the  zenith. 

The  night  slipped  away  without  any  mischance,  the  islanders 
frightened,  no  doubt,  at  the  sight  of  a  monster  aground  in  the 
bay.  The  panels  were  open,  and  would  have  offered  an  easy 
access  to  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus. 

At  six  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  8th  January,  I  went  up 
on  to  the  platform.  The  dawn  w'as  breaking.  The  island  soon 
showed  itself  through  the  dissipating  fogs,— first  the  shore,  then 
the  summits. 

The  natives  were  there,  more  numerous  than  on  the  day  be¬ 
fore,— 500  or  GOO  perliaps,— some  of  them,  profiting  by  the  low 
water,  had  come  on  to  the  coral,  at  less  than  two  cable  -  lengths 
from  the  Nautilus.  I  distinguished  them  easily;  they  were  true 
Papuans,  with  athletic  figures;  men  of  good  race,  large  high 
foreheads, —  large,  but  not  broad,  and  flat, —  and  white  teeth. 
Their  woolly  hair,  with  a  reddish  tinge,  showed  off  on  their 
black,  shining  bodies  like  those  of  the  Nubians.  From  the  lobes 
of  their  ears,  cut  and  distended,  hung  chaplets  of  bones.  Most 
of  these  savages  were  naked.  Amongst  them  I  remarked  some 
women  dressed  from  the  hips  to  the  knees  in  quite  a  crinoline 
of  herbs,  that  sustained  a  vegetable  waistband.  Some  chiefs 
had  ornamented  their  necks  with  a  crescent  and  collars  of  glass 
beads,  red  and  white;  nearly  all  were  armed  with  bows, arrows, 
and  shields,  and  carried  on  their  shoulders  a  sort  of  net  contain¬ 
ing  those  round  stones  which  they  cast  from  their  slings  with 
great  skill.  One  of  these  chiefs,  rather  near  to  the  Nautilus,  ex¬ 
amined  it  attentively.  He  was,  perhaps,  a  “  inado  ”  of  high  rank, 
for  he  was  draped  in  a  mat  of  banana  leaves  notched  round  the 
edges,  and  set  off  with  brilliant  colors. 

I  could  easily  have  knocked  down  this  native,  who  was  ^vithin  a 
short  length  ;  but  I  thought  that  it  ’vvas  better  to  wait  for  real 
hostile  demonstrations.  Between  Europeans  and  savages,  it  is 
proper  for  the  Europeans  to  parry  sharply,  not  to  attack. 

During  low  water  the  natives  roanied  about  near  the  Nautilus 


142  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

but  were  not  troublesome  ;  I  heard  them  frequently  repeat  the 
word  “Assai,”  and  by  their  gestures  I  miderstood  that  they  in¬ 
vited  me  to  go  on  land,  an  invitation  that  I  declined. 

So  that,  on  that  day,  the  boat  did  not  push  off,  to  the  great 
displeasure  of  Master  Land,  who  could  not  complete  his  pro¬ 
visions. 

This  adroit  Canadian  employed  his  time  in  preparing  the 
viands  and  meat  that  he  had  brought  off  the  island.  As  for  the 
savages,  they  returned  to  the  shore  about  eleven  o’clock  in  the 
morning,  as  soon  as  the  coral  tops  began  to  disappear  mider  the 
rising  tide  ;  but  I  saw  their  numbers  had  increased  consider¬ 
ably  on  the  shore.  Probably  they  came  from  the  neighboring 
islands,  or  very  likely  from  Papua.  However,  I  had  not  seen  a 
single  native  canoe.  Having  nothing  better  to  do,  I  thought  of 
dragging  these  beautiful  limpid  waters,  under  which  I  saw  a 
profusion  of  shells,  zoophytes,  and  marine  plants.  Moreover,  it 
was  the  last  day  that  the  Nautilus  would  pass  in  these  parts,  if 
it  float  in  open  sea  the  next  day,  according  to  Captain  Nemo’s 
promise. 

I  therefore  called  Conseil,  who  brought  me  a  little  light  drag, 
very  like  those  for  the  oyster-fishery.  Now  to  work !  For  two 
hours  we  fished  unceasingly,  but  without  bringing  up  any  rari¬ 
ties.  The  drag  was  filled  with  midas-ears,  harps,  melames,  and 
particularly  the  most  beautiful  hammers  I  have  ever  seen.  Wo 
also  brought  up  some  holothurias,  pearl-oysters,  and  a  dozen 
little  turtles,  that  were  reserved  for  the  pantry  on  board. 

But  just  when  I  expected  it  least,  I  put  my  hand  on  a  wonder, 
I  might  say  a  natural  deformity,  very  rarely  met  with.  Conseil 
was  just  dragging,  and  his  net  came  up  filled  with  divers  or¬ 
dinary  shells,  when,  all  at  once,  he  saw  me  plunge  my  arm 
quickly  into  the  net,  to  draw  out  a  shell,  and  heard  me  utter  a 
conchological  cry,  that  is  to  say,  the  most  piercing  cry  that 
human  throat  can  utter. 

“  V/hat  is  the  matter,  sir  ?  ”  he  asked,  in  surprise  ;  “  has  mas¬ 
ter  been  bitten  ?” 

“  No,  my  boy  ;  but  I  would  wUlingly  have  given  a  finger  for 
my  discovery.” 

“  What  discovery  ?  ” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  143 

•‘This  shell,”  I  said,  holding  up  the  object  of  my  triumph. 

“  It  is  simply  an  olive  porphyry,  genus  olive,  order  of  the  pec- 
l^ni-branchidse,  class  of  gasteropods,  sub-class  of  mollusca.” 

“  Yes,  Conseil ;  but  instead  of  being  rolled  from  right  to  left, 
Inis  olive  turns  from  left  to  right.” 

“  Is  it  possible  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  my  boy  ;  it  is  a  left  shell.” 

Shells  are  all  right-handed,  with  rare  exceptions  ;  and  when 
by  chance  their  spiral  is  left,  amateurs  are  ready  to  pay  their 
weight  in  gold. 

Conseil  and  I  were  absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  our  treas¬ 
ure,  and  I  was  promising  myself  to  enrich  the  museum  with  it, 
when  a  stone,  unfortunately  thrown  by  a  native,  struck  against 
and  broke  the  precious  object  in  Conseil’s  hand.  I  uttered  a  cry 
of  despair !  Conseil  took  up  Ms  gun,  and  aimed  at  a  savage  who 
was  poising  his  sling  at  ten  yards  from  him.  I  would  have 
stopped  him,  but  his  blow  took  effect,  and  broke  the  bracelet  of 
amulets  which  encircled  the  arm  of  the  savage. 

“  Conseil !  ”  cried  I ;  “  Conseil !  ” 

“  Well,  sir !  do  you  not  see  that  the  cannibal  has  commenced 
the  attack?” 

“  A  shell  is  not  worth  the  life  of  a  man,”  said  I. 

“  Ah !  the  scoundrel !  ”  cried  Conseil;  “  I  would  rather  he  had 
broken  my  shoulder !  ” 

Conseil  was  in  earnest,  but  I  was  not  of  his  opinion.  How¬ 
ever,  the  situation  had  changed  some  minutes  before,  and  we 
had  not  perceived.  A  score  of  canoes  surrounded  the  Nautilus. 
These  canoes,  scooped  out  of  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  long,  narrow, 
well  adapted  for  speed,  were  balanced  by  means  of  a  long  bam¬ 
boo  pole,  w’hich  floated  on  the  water.  They  were  managed  by 
skillful,  half-naked  paddlers,  and  I  watched  their  advance  with 
some  uneasiness.  It  was  evident  that  these  Papuans  had  already 
had  dealings  with  the  Europeans,  and  knew  their  ships.  But 
this  long  iron  cylinder  anchored  in  the  bay,  without  masts  or 
chimney,  what  could  they  think  of  it?  Nothing  good,  for  at 
first  they  kept  at  a  respectful  distance.  However,  seeing  it 
motionless,  by  degrees  they  took  courage,  and  sought  to  famil¬ 
iarize  themselves  with  it.  Now  tins  familiarity  was  precisely 


144  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

wliat  it  was  necessary  to  avoid.  Our  arms,  which  were  noise¬ 
less,  could  only  produce  a  moderate  effect  on  the  savages,  who 
have  little  respect  for  aught  but  blustering  things.  The  thun¬ 
derbolt  without  the  reverberations  of  thunder  would  frighten 
man  but  little,  though  the  danger  hes  in  the  lightning,  not  in 
the  noise. 

At  this  moment  the  canoes  approached  the  Nautilus,  and  a 
shower  of  arrows  alighted  on  her. 

I  went  down  to  the  saloon,  but  found  no  one  there.  I  ven¬ 
tured  to  knock  at  the  door  that  opened  into  the  captain’s  room. 
“  Come  in,”  was  the  answer. 

I  entered,  and  found  Captain  Nemo  deep  in  algebraical  calcu 
lations  of  x  and  other  quantities. 

“  I  am  disturbing  you,”  said  I,  for  courtesy’s  sake. 

“ That  is  true,  M.  Aronnax,”  replied  the  captain;  “but  I  think 
^'ou  have  serious  reasons  for  wishing  to  see  me?” 

“Very  grave  ones;  the  natives  are  surrounding  us  in  their 
canoes,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  shall  certainly  be  attacked  by 
many  hundreds  of  savages.” 

“  Ah !  ”  said  Captain  Nemo,  quietly,  “  they  are  come  with  their 
canoes  ?  ”  “  Yes  sir.”  “  Well,  sir,  we  must  close  the  hatches.” 
“  Exactly,  and  I  came  to  say  to  you  —  ” 

“Nothing  can  be  more  simple,”  said  Captain  Nemo.  And 
pressing  an  electric  button,  he  transmitted  an  order  to  the  ship’s 
crew.  < 

“It  is  all  done,  sir,”  said  he,  after  some  moments.  “The  pin¬ 
nace  is  ready,  and  the  hatches  are  closed.  You  do  not  fear,  I 
imagine,  that  these  gentlemen  could  stave  in  walls  on  which  the 
balls  of  your  frigate  have  had  no  effect  ?  ” 

“  No,  Captain  ;  but  a  danger  still  exists.”  “  What  is  that,  sir  ?  ” 

“  It  is  that  to-morrow,  at  about  this  hour,  we  must  open  the 
hatches  to  renew  the  air  of  the  Nautilus.  Now  if,  at  this  mo¬ 
ment,  the  Papuans  should  occupy  the  platform,  I  do  not  see 
how  you  could  prevent  them  from  entering.” 

“  Then,  sir,  you  suppose  that  they  will  board  us  ?  ” 

“  I  am  certain  of  it.” 

“  Well,  sir,  let  them  come.  I  see  no  reason  for  hindering  them. 
After  aU,  these  Papuans  are  poor  creatures,  and  I  am  unwilling 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  145 


that  my  visit  to  the  Island  of  Gueheroan  should  cost  the  life  of  a 
single  one  of  these  wretches.” 

Upon  that  I  wtis  going  away  ;  but  Captain  Nemo  detained  me^ 
and  asked  me  to  sit  down  by  him.  He  questioned  me  with  in¬ 
terest  about  our  excursions  on  shore,  and  our  hunting,  and 
seemed  not  to  understand  the  craving  for  meat  that  possessed 
the  Canadian.  Then  the  conversation  turned  on  various  sub¬ 
jects,  and  without  being  more  conununicative.  Captain  Nemo 
showed  himself  more  amiable. 

Amongst  other  things,  we  happened  to  speak  of  the  situation 
of  the  Nautilus,  run  aground  in  exactly  the  same  spot  in  this 
strait  where  Dumont  d’Urville  was  nearly  lost.  Apropos  of 
this, — 

“  This  D’Urville  was  one  of  your  great  sailors,”  said  the  cap¬ 
tain  to  me  ;  “  one  of  your  most  intelligent  navigators.  He  is  the 
Captain  Cook  of  you  Frenchmen.  Unfortunate  man  of  science, 
after  having  braved  the  icebergs  of  the  south  pole,  the  coral  reefs 
of  Oceania,  the  cannibals  of  the  Pacific,  to  perish  miserably  in 
a  railway  train  !  If  this  energetic  man  could  have  reflected  dur¬ 
ing  the  last  moments  of  his  life,  what  must  have  been  upper¬ 
most  in  his  last  thoughts,  do  you  suppose  ?  ” 

So  speaking.  Captain  Nemo  seemed  moved,  and  his  emotion 
gave  me  a  better  opinion  of  him.  Then,  chart  in  hand,  we  re¬ 
viewed  the  travels  of  the  French  navigator,  his  voyages  of  ciD 
cumnavigation,  his  double  detention  at  the  south  pole,  which 
led  to  the  discovery  of  Adelaide  and  Louis  Philippe,  and  fixing 
the  hydrographical  bearings  of  the  principal  islands  of  Oceania. 

“  That  which  your  D’Urville  has  done  on  the  surface  of  the 
seas,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  “  that  have  I  done  under  them,  and 
more  easily,  more  completely  than  he.  The  Astrolabe  and  the 
Zeiia,  incessantly  tossed  about  by  the  hurricanes,  could  not  be 
worth  the  Nautilus,  quiet  repository  of  labor  that  she  is,  truly 
motionless  in  the  midst  of  the  waters.” 

“  To-morrow,”  added  the  captain,  rising,  “  to-morrow,  at  twenty 
minutes  to  three  P.M.,  the  Nautilus  shall  float,  and  leave  the 
Strait  of  Torres  uninjured.” 

Having  curtly  pronounced  these  words,  Captain  Nemo  bowed 
slightly.  This  was  to  dismiss  me,  and  I  went  back  to  my  room. 


146  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

There  I  found  Conseil,  who  wished  to  know  the  result  of  my 
interview  with  the  captain. 

“My  boy,”  said  I,  “when  I  feigned  to  believe  that  his  Nautilus 
was  threatened  by  the  natives  of  Papua,  the  captain  answered 
me  very  sarcastically.  I  have  but  one  thing  to  say  to  you:  Have 
confidence  in  liim,  and  go  to  sleep  in  peace.” 

“  Have  you  no  need  of  my  services,  su-  ?  ” 

“  No,  my  friend.  What  is  Ned  Land  doing  ?  ” 

“If  you  will  excuse  me,  sir,”  answered  Conseil,  “friend  Ned  is 
busy  making  a  kangaroo-pie,  which  will  be  a  marvel.” 

I  remained  alone,  and  went  to  bed,  but  slept  indifferently.  I 
heard  the  noise  of  the  savages,  who  stamped  on  the  platform, 
uttering  deafening  cries.  The  night  passed  thus,  without  dis¬ 
turbing  the  ordinary  repose  of  the  crew.  The  presence  of  these 
cannibals  affected  them  no  more  than  the  soldiers  of  a  masked 
battery  care  for  the  ants  that  crawl  over  its  front. 

At  six  in  the  morning  I  rose.  The  hatches  had  not  been 
opened.  The  inner  air  was  not  renewed,  but  the  reservoirs, 
filled  ready  for  any  emergency,  were  now  resorted  to,  and  dis¬ 
charged  several  cubic  feet  of  oxygen  into  the  exhausted  atmos¬ 
phere  of  the  Nautilus. 

I  worked  in  my  room  till  noon,  without  having  seen  Captain 
Nemo,  even  for  an  instant.  On  board  no  preparations  for  de¬ 
parture  were  visible. 

I  waited  still  some  time,  then  went  into  the  large  saloon.  The 
clock  marked  half  past  two.  In  ten  minutes  it  would  be  high 
tide,  and  if  Captain  Nemo  had  not  made  a  rash  promise,  the 
Nautilus  would  be  immediately  detached.  If  not,  many  months 
would  pass  ere  she  could  leave  her  bed  of  coral. 

However,  some  warning  vibrations  began  to  be  felt  in  the  ves¬ 
sel.  I  heard  the  keel  grating  against  the  rough,  calcareous  bot¬ 
tom  of  the  coral  reef. 

At  five-and-twenty  minutes  to  three.  Captain  Nemo  appeared 
in  the  saloon. 

“We  are  going  to  start,”  said  he.  “ Ab  ! ”  replied  L  “I  have 
given  the  order  to  open  the  hatches.”  “And  the  Papuans  ?” 

“  The  Papuans  ?  ”  ansv/ered  Captain  Nemo  slightly  shrugging 
his  shoulders.  “Will  they  not  come  inside  the  Nautilus'?” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  147 


“How?”  “Only  by  leaping  over  the  hatches  you  have 
opened.” 

“M.  Arronax,”  quietly  answered  Captain  Nemo,  “they  will  not 
enter  the  hatches  of  the  Nautilus  in  that  way,  even  if  they  were 
open.” 

I  looked  at  the  captain. 

“You  do  not  understand?”  said  he.  “Hardly.”  “Well, 
come  and  you  will  see.” 

I  directed  my  steps  toward  the  central  staircase.  There  Ned 
Land  and  Conseil  were  slyly  watching  some  of  the  ship’s  crew, 
who  were  opening  the  hatches,  while  cries  of  rage  and  fearful 
vociferations  resounded  outside. 

The  port  lids  were  pulled  down  outside.  Twenty  horrible 
faces  appeared.  But  the  first  native  who  placed  his  hand  on 
the  stair-rail,  struck  from  behind  by  some  invisible  force,  I 
know  not  what,  fled,  uttering  the  most  fearful  cries,  and  mak¬ 
ing  the  wildest  contortions. 

Ten  of  his  companions  followed  him.  They  met  with  th*' 
same  fate. 

Conseil  was  in  ecstasy.  Ned  Land,  carried  away  by  liis  vi'»* 
lent  instincts,  rushed  on  to  the  staircase.  But  the  moment  h^ 
seized  the  rail  with  both  hands,  he,  in  his  turn,  was  over 
thrown. 

“  I  am  struck  by  a  thunderbolt,”  cried  he,  with  an  oath. 

This  explained  all.  It  was  no  rail,  but  a  metallic  cah^e, 
charged  with  electricity  from  the  deck,  communicating  with 
the  platform.  Whoever  touched  it  felt  a  powerful  shock, — and 
this  shock  would  have  been  mortal,  if  Captain  Nemo  had  dis¬ 
charged  into  the  conductor  the  whole  force  of  the  current.  It 
might  truly  be  said  that  between  his  assailants  and  himself  he 
had  stretched  a  network  of  electricity  which  none  could  pas? 
with  impunity. 

Meanwhile,  the  exasperated  Papuans  had  beaten  a  retreat, 
paralyzed  with  terror.  As  for  us,  half  laughing,  we  consoled 
and  rubbed  the  unfortmiate  Ned  Land,  who  swore  like  one 
possessed. 

But,  at  this  moment,  the  Nautilus,  raised  by  the  last  waves  of 
the  tide,  quitted  her  coral  bed  exactly  at  the  fortieth  minute 


148  rWENTV  THOUSAITD  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

fixed  by  the  captain.  Her  screw  swept  the  waters  slowly  and 
majestically.  Her  speed  inc:  eased  gradually,  and  sailing  on  the 
surface  of  the  ocean,  sne  quitted  safe  and  sound  the  dangerous 
ef.  the  ^b:aits  of  Torres. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


“JSGRI  SOMNIA.” 

The  following  day,  10th  January,  the  Nautilus  continued  her 
course  between  two  seas,  but  with  such  remarkable  speed  that 
[  could  not  estimate  it  at  less  than  thirty-five  miles  an  hour. 
The  rapidity  of  her  screw  was  such  that  I  could  neither  follow 
nor  count  its  evolutions.  When  I  reflected  that  this  marvellous 
electrre  agent,  after  having  afforded  motion,  heat,  and  fight  to 
the  Nautilus,  still  protected  her  from  outward  attack,  and  trans¬ 
formed  her  into  an  ark  of  safety  w’hich  no  profane  hand  might 
touch  without  being  thunderstricken,  my  admiration  was  un¬ 
bounded,  and  from  the  structure  it  extended  to  the  engineer 
Who  had  called  it  into  existence. 

Our  course  was  directed  to  the  west,  and  on  the  11th  Janu¬ 
ary  we  doubled  Cape  Wessel,  situated  in  135°  longtitude  and  10* 
north  latitude,  which  forms  tlie  east  point  of  the  Gulf  of  Car¬ 
pentaria.  The  reefs  were  numerous,  but  more  equalized,  and 
marked  on  the  chart  with  extreme  precision.  The  Nautilus 
easily  avoided  the  breakers  of  Money  to  port,  and  the  Victoria 
reefs  to  starboard,  placed  at  130'  longtitude,  and  on  the  tenth 
parallel  which  we  strictly  followed. 

On  the  13th  January,  Captain  Nemo  arrived  in  the  Sea  of  Timor 
and  recognized  the  island  of  that  name  in  122°  longitude. 

From  this  point  the  direction  of  the  Nautilus  inclined  towards 
the  southwest.  Her  head  was  set  for  the  Indian  Ocean.  Where 
would  the  fancy  of  Captain  Nemo  carry  us  next  ?  Would  he 
return  to  the  coast  of  Asia  ?  or  would  he  approach  again  the 
shores  of  Europe  ?  Improbable  conjectures  both,  for  a  man 
who  fled  from  inhabited  continents.  Then,  would  he  descend 
to  the  south  ?  Was  he  going  to  double  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 

149 


150  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEE  THE  SEAS, 

then  Cape  Horn,  and  finally  go  as  far  as  the  antarctic  pole  ? 
Would  he  come  back  at  last  to  the  Pacific,  where  his  Nautilus 
could  sail  free  and  independently  ?  Time  would  show. 

After  having  skirted  the  sands  of  Cartier,  Hibernia,  Seringa* 
patam,  and  Scott,  last  efforts  of  the  solid  against  the  liquid  ele¬ 
ment,  on  the  14th  January  we  lost  sight  of  land  altogether.  The 
speed  of  the  Nautilus  was  considerably  abated,  and  with  irregular 
course,  she  sometimes  swam  in  the  bosom  of  the  waters,  some¬ 
times  floated  on  their  surface. 

During  this  period  of  the  voyage,  Captain  Nemo  made  some 
interesting  experiments  on  the  varied  temperature  of  the  sea  in 
different  beds.  Under  ordinary  conditions,  these  observations 
are  made  by  means  of  rather  complicated  instruments,  and  with 
somewhat  doubtful  results,  by  means  of  thermometrical  sound¬ 
ing-leads,  the  glasses  often  breaking  under  the  pressure  of  the 
water,  or  an  apparatus  grounded  on  the  variations  of  the  resist¬ 
ance  of  metals  to  the  electric  currents.  Results  so  obtained  could 
not  be  correctly  calculated.  On  the  contrary.  Captain  Nemo 
went  himself  to  test  the  temperature  in  the  depths  of  the  sea, 
and  his  thermometer,  placed  in  communication  with  the  different 
sheets  of  water,  gave  him  the  required  degree  immediately  and 
accurately. 

It  was  thus  that,  either  by  overloading  her  reservoirs,  or  by 
descending  obliquely  by  means  of  her  inclined  planes,  the  Nau¬ 
tilus  successively  attained  the  depth  of  three,  four,  five,  seven, 
nine,  and  ten  thousand  yards,  and  the  definite  result  of  this  ex¬ 
perience  was,  that  the  sea  preserved  an  average  temperature  of 
four  degrees  and  a  half,  at  a  depth  of  five  thousand  fathoms, 
under  all  latitudes. 

On  the  lf)th  January,  the  Nautilus  seemed  becalmed,  only  a 
few  yards  beneath  the  surface  of  the  waves.  Her  electric  appa¬ 
ratus  remained  inactive,  and  her  motionless  screw  left  her  to  drift 
at  the  mercy  of  the  currents.  I  supposed  that  the  crew  was 
occupied  with  interior  repairs,  rendered  necessary  by  the  vio¬ 
lence  of  the  mechanical  movements  of  the  rnacnme. 

My  companions  and  I  then  witnessed  a  curious  spectacle.  The 
hatches  of  the  saloon  were  open,  and  us  ilie  beacon-light  of  the 
Nautilus  was  not  in  action,  a  dim  obsr  uilty  reigned  in  the  midst 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  151 


of  the  waters.  I  observed  the  state  of  the  sea  under  these  con¬ 
ditions,  and  the  largest  fish  appeared  to  me  no  more  than  scarcely 
defined  shadows,  when  the  Nautilus  found  herself  suddenly  trans¬ 
ported  into  full  light.  I  thought  at  first  that  the  beacon  had 
been  lighted,  and  was  casting  its  electric  radiance  into  the  liquid 
mass.  I  was  mistaken,  and  after  a  rapid  suiTey  perceived  my 
error. 

The  Nautilus  floated  in  the  midst  of  a  phosphorescent  bed, 
which,  in  tliis  obscurity,  became  quite  dazzling.  It  was  produced 
by  myriads  of  luminous  anunalculae,  whose  brilliancy  was  in¬ 
creased  as  they  glided  over  the  metalfic  hull  of  the  vessel.  I  wa<s 
surprised  by  lightning  in  the  midst  of  these  luminous  sheets,  a.^ 
though  they  had  been  rivulets  of  lead  melted  in  an  ardent  fui 
nace,  or  metallic  masses  brought  to  a  white  heat,  so  that,  by  forct 
of  contrast,  certain  portions  of  light  appeared  to  cast  a  shade  in 
the  midst  of  the  general  ignition,  from  which  all  shade  seemed 
banished.  No ;  this  was  not  the  calm  irradiation  of  our  ordi¬ 
nary  lightning.  There  was  miusual  life  and  vigor ;  this  was 
truly  living  light! 

In  reality,  it  was  an  infinite  agglomeration  of  colored  infuso¬ 
ria,  of  veritable  globules  of  diaphanous  jelly,  provided  with  a 
thread-like  tentacle,  and  of  which  as  many  as  twenty-five  thou¬ 
sand  have  been  counted  in  less  than  two  cubic  half -inches  of 
water;  and  their  light  was  increased  by  the  glimmering  peculiar 
to  the  medusae,  starfish,  aurelia,  and  other  phosphorescent  zoo¬ 
phytes,  impregnated  by  the  grease  of  the  organic  matter  decom¬ 
posed  by  the  sea,  and,  perhaps,  the  mucus  secreted  by  the  fish. 

During  several  hours  the  Nautilus  floated  in  these  brilliant 
waves,  and  our  admiration  increased  as  we  watched  the  marme 
monsters  disporting  themselves  like  salamanders.  I  saw  there 
in  the  midst  of  this  fire  that  burns  not,  the  swift  and  elegant 
porpoise  (the  indefatigable  clown  of  the  ocean),  and  some  sword¬ 
fish  ten  feet  long,  those  prophetic  heralds  of  the  hurricane, 
whose  formidable  sword  would  now  and  then  strike  the  glass 
of  the  saloon.  Then  appeared  the  smaller  fish,  the  variegated 
bahsta,the  leaping  mackerel,  wolf  -  thorntails,  and  a  hundred 
others  which  striped  the  luminous  atmosphere  as  they  swam. 
This  dazzling  spectacle  was  enchanting!  Perhaps  some  atmos- 


152  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

pheric  condition  increased  the  intensity  of  this  phenomenon. 
Perhaps  some  storm  agitated  the  surface  of  the  waves.  But,  at 
this  depth  of  some  yards,  the  Nautilus  was  unmoved  hy  its  fury, 
and  reposed  peacefully  in  still  water. 

So  we  progressed,  incessantly  charmed  by  some  new  marvel. 
Conseil  arranged  and  classed  his  zoophytes,  his  articulata,  his 
moUuscs,  his  fishes.  The  days  passed  rapidly  away,  and  I  took 
no  account  of  them.  Ned,  according  to  habit,  tried  to  vary  the 
diet  on  board.  Lil^e  snails,  we  were  fixed  to  our  shells,  and  I 
declare  it  is  easy  to  lead  a  snail’s  fife. 

Thus  this  life  seemed  easy  and  natural,  and  we  thought  no 
longer  of  the  life  we  led  on  land;  but  something  happened  to 
recall  us  to  the  strangeness  of  our  situation. 

On  the  18th  of  January,  the  Nautilus  was  in  105°  longitude 
and  15°  south  latitude.  The  weather  was  threatening,  the  sea 
rough  and  rolling.  There  was  a  strong  east  wind.  The  barom¬ 
eter,  which  had  been  going  down  for  some  days,  foreboded  a 
coming  storm.  I  went  up  on  to  the  platform  just  as  the  second 
heutenant  was  taking  the  measure  of  the  horary  angles,  and 
waited,  according  to  habit,  till  the  daily  phrase  was  said.  But, 
on  this  day,  it  was  exchanged  for  another  phrase  not  less  incom¬ 
prehensible.  Almost  directly,  I  saw  Captain  Nemo  appear,  with 
a  glass,  looking  towards  the  horizon. 

For  some  minutes  he  was  immovable,  without  taking  liis  eye 
off  the  point  of  observation.  Then  he  lowered  his  glass,  and 
exchanged  a  few  words  with  his  lieutenant.  The  latter  seemed 
to  be  a  victim  to  some  emotion  that  he  tried  in  vain  to  repress. 
Captain  Nemo,  having  more  command  over  himself,  was  cooL 
He  seemed,  too,  to  be  making  some  objections,  to  which  the 
lieutenant  replied  by  formal  assurances;  at  least  I  concluded  so 
by  the  difference  of  their  tones  and  gestures.  For  myself,  I  had 
looked  carefully  in  the  direction  indicated  without  seeing  any¬ 
thing.  The  sky  and  water  were  lost  in  the  clear  line  of  the  horizon. 

However,  Captain  Nemo  walked  from  one  end  of  the  platform 
to  the  other,  without  looking  at  me,  perhaps  without  seeing  me. 
His  step  was  finn,  but  less  regular  than  usual.  He  stopped 
sometimes,  crossed  his  arms,  and  observed  the  sea.  What  could 
he  be  looking  for  on  that  immense  expanse? 


fWfiNTY  THOUSAND  UEAQUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  158 


The  Nautilus  was  then  some  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  near¬ 
est  coast 

The  lieutenant  had  taken  up  the  glass,  and  examined  the  hori¬ 
zon  steadfastly,  going  and  coming,  stamping  his  foot  and  show¬ 
ing  more  nervous  agitation  than  his  superior  officer.  Besides, 
this  mystery  must  necessarily  be  solved,  and  before  long;  for, 
upon  an  order  from  Captain  Nemo,  the  engine,  increasing  its 
propelling  power,  made  the  screw  turn  more  rapidly. 

Just  then  the  lieutenant  drew  the  captain’s  attention  again. 
The  latter  stopped  walking  and  directed  his  glass  towards  the 
place  indicated.  He  looked  long.  I  felt  very  much  puzzled,  and 
descended  to  the  drawing-room  and  took  out  an  excellent  tele¬ 
scope  that  I  generally  used.  Then,  leaning  on  the  cage  of  the 
watch-light,  that  jutted  out  from  the  front  of  the  platform,  set 
myself  to  look  over  all  the  line  of  the  sky  and  sea. 

But  my  eye  was  no  sooner  applied  to  the  glass,  than  it  was 
quickly  snatched  out  of  my  hands. 

I  turned  round.  Captain  Nemo  was  before  me,  but  I  did  not 
know  him.  His  face  was  transfigured.  His  ej^es  flashed  sullenly; 
his  teeth  were  set;  his  stiff  body,  clenched  fists,  and  head  shrunk 
between  Ms  shoulders,  betrayed  the  violent  agitation  that  per¬ 
vaded  his  whole  frame.  He  did  not  move.  My  glass,  fallen  from 
his  hands,  had  rolled  at  his  feet. 

Had  I  miwittingly  provoked  this  fit  of  anger?  Did  this  incom¬ 
prehensible  person  imagine  that  I  had  discovered  some  forbidden 
secret?  No;  I  was  not  the  object  of  this  hatred,  for  he  was  not 
looking  at  me,  his  eye  was  steadily  fixed  upon  the  impenetrable 
point  of  the  horizon.  At  last  Captain  Nemo  recovered  himself* 
His  agitation  subsided.  He  addressed  some  words  in  a  foreign 
language  to  his  lieutenant,  then  turned  to  me.  “M.  Aronnax,” 
he  said,  in  rather  an  imperious  tone,  “  I  require  you  to  keep  one 
of  the  conditions  that  bind  you  to  me.” 

“What  is  it.  Captain?” 

“  You  must  be  confined,  with  your  companions,  until  I  think 
fit  to  release  you.” 

“You  are  the  master,”  I  replied,  looking  steadily  at  him.  “But 
may  I  ask  you  one  questio"^’ 

“None,  sir?’ 


154  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

There  was  no  resisting  this  imperious  command;  it  would  have 
been  useless.  I  went  down  to  the  cabin  occupied  by  Ned  Land 
and  Conseil,  and  told  them  the  captain’s  determination.  You 
may  judge  how  this  coimnunication  was  received  by  the  Cana¬ 
dian. 

But  there  was  no  time  for  altercation.  Four  of  the  crew  waited 
at  the  door,  and  conducted  us  to  that  cell  where  we  had  passed 
our  first  night  on  board  the  Nautilus. 

Ned  Land  would  have  remonstrated,  but  the  door  was  shut 
upon  him. 

“Will  master  tell  me  what  this  means?”  asked  ConseiL 

I  told  my  companions  what  had  passed.  They  were  as  much 
astonished  as  I,  and  equally  at  a  loss  how  to  account  for  it. 

Meanwhile,  I  was  absorbed  in  my  own  reflections,  and  could 
think  of  nothing  but  the  strange  fear  depicted  in  the  captain’s 
countenance.  I  was  utterly  at  a  loss  to  account  for  it,  when  my 
cogitations  were  disturbed  by  these  words  from  Ned  Land, — 

“Hallo!  breakfast  is  ready!” 

And  indeed  the  table  was  laid.  Evidently  Captain  Nemo  had 
given  this  order  at  the  same  time  that  he  had  hastened  the  speed 
of  the  Nautilus. 

“Will  master  permit  me  to  make  a  recommendation?”  asked 
Conseil.  “  Yes,  my  boy.” 

“Well,  it  is  that  master  breakfasts.  It  is  prudent,  for  we  do 
not  know  what  may  happen.”  “  You  are  right,  Conseil.” 

“Unfortunately,”  said  Ned  Land,  “they  have  only  given  us  the 
ship’s  fare.” 

“  Friend  Ned,”  asked  Conseil,  “  what  would  you  have  said  if 
the  breakfast  had  been  entirely  forgotten?” 

This  argument  cut  short  the  harpooner’s  recriminations. 

We  sat  down  to  table.  The  meal  was  eaten  in  silence. 

Just  then,  the  luminous  globe  that  lighted  the  cell  went  out, 
and  left  us  in  total  darkness.  Ned  Land  was  soon  asleep,  and 
what  astonished  me  was  that  Conseil  went  off  into  a  heavy 
sleep.  I  was  thinking  what  could  have  caused  his  irresistible 
drowsiness,  when  I  felt  my  brain  beconung  stupefied.  In  spite 
of  my  efforts  to  keep  my  eyes  open,  they  would  close.  A  pain¬ 
ful  suspicion  seized  me.  Evidently  soporific  substances  had 


i’WENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  15$ 


been  mixed  with  the  food  we  had  just  taken.  Imprisonment 
was  not  enough  to  conceal  Captain  Nemo’s  projects  from  us; 
sleep  was  more  necessary. 

I  then  heard  the  panels  shut.  The  undulations  of  the  sea, 
which  caused  a  slight  rolling  motion,  ceased.  Had  the  Nautilus 
quitted  the  sm'face  of  the  ocean?  Had  it  gone  back  to  the  mo¬ 
tionless  bed  of  water?  I  tried  to  resist  sleep.  It  was  impossi¬ 
ble.  My  breathing  grew  weak.  I  felt  a  mortal  cold  freeze  my 
stiffened  and  half-paralyzed  limbs.  My  eyelids,  like  leaden  caps, 
fell  over  my  eyes.  I  could  not  raise  them;  a  morbid  sleep,  full 
of  hallucinations,  bereft  me  of  my  being.  Then  the  visions  dis¬ 
appeared,  and  left  me  in  complete  insensibility. 


CHAPTER  XXIIl 


THE  CORAL  KINGDOM. 

The  next  day  I  woke  with  my  head  singularly  clear.  To  my 
great  surprise  I  was  in  my  own  room.  My  companions,  no 
doubt,  had  been  reinstated  in  their  cabin,  without  having  per¬ 
ceived  it  any  more  than  I.  Of  what  had  passed  during  the 
night  they  were  as  ignorant  as  I  was,  and  to  penetrate  this  mys¬ 
tery  I  only  reckoned  upon  the  chances  of  the  future. 

1  then  thought  of  quitting  my  room.  Was  I  free  again,  or  a 
prisoner?  Quite  free.  I  opened  the  door,  went  to  the  half-deck, 
went  up  the  central  stairs.  The  panels,  shut  the  evening  before, 
were  open.  I  went  on  to  the  platform. 

Ned  Land  and  Conseil  waited  there  for  me.  I  questioned 
them;  they  knew  nothing.  Lost  in  a  heavy  sleep  in  which  they 
had  been  totally  unconscious,  they  had  been  astonished  at  tind- 
ing  themselves  in  their  cabin. 

As  for  the  Nautilus,  it  seemed  quiet  and  mysterious  as  ever. 
It  floated  on  the  surface  of  the  waves  at  a  moderate  pace.  Noth¬ 
ing  seemed  changed  on  board. 

The  second  lieutenant  then  came  on  to  the  platform,  and 
gave  the  usual  order  below. 

As  for  Captain  Nemo,  he  did  not  appear. 

Of  the  people  on  board  I  only  saw  the  impassive  steward,  who 
served  me  with  his  usual  dumb  regularity. 

About  two  o’clock,  I  was  in  the  drawing-room,  busied  In 
arranging  my  notes,  when  the  captain  opened  the  door  and  ap¬ 
peared.  I  bowed.  He  made  a  slight  inclination  in  return, witli- 
out  speaking.  I  resumed  my  work,  hoping  that  he  would  per¬ 
haps  give  me  some  explanation  of  the  events  of  the  preceding 
night.  He  made  none.  1  looked  at  him.  He  seemed  fatigued; 

156 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


his  heavy  eyes  had  not  been  refreshed  by  sleep;  his  face  looked 
very  sorrowful.  He  walked  to  and  fro,  sat  down  and  got  up 
again,  took  up  a  chance  book,  put  it  down,  consulted  his  instru¬ 
ments  without  taking  his  habitual  notes,  and  seemed  restless 
and  uneasy.  At  last,  he  came  up  to  me,  and  said,— 

“  Are  you  a  doctor,  M.  Aronnax?” 

I  so  little  expected  such  a  question,  that  I  stared  some  time  at 
him  without  answering. 

“Are  you  a  doctor?”  he  repeated.  “Several  of  your  colleagues 
have  studied  medicine.” 

“Well,”  said  I,  “I  am  a  doctor  and  resident  surgeon  to  the 
hospital.  I  practiced  several  years  before  entering  the  museum.” 

“  V  ery  well,  sir.” 

My  answer  had  evidently  satisfied  the  captain.  But  not  know¬ 
ing  what  he  would  say  next,  I  waited  for  other  questions,  reserv¬ 
ing  my  answers  according  to  circumstances. 

“  M.  Aromiax,  will  you  consent  to  prescribe  for  one  of  my 
men?”  he  asked.  “Is  he  ill?”  “Yes.”  “I  am  ready  to  follow 
you.”  “  Come  then.” 

I  own  my  heart  beat,  I  do  not  know  why.  I  saw  a  certain 
connection  between  the  illness  of  one  of  the  crew  and  the 
events  of  the  day  before;  and  this  mystery  interested  me  at 
least  as  much  as  the  sick  man. 

Captain  Nemo  conducted  me  to  the  poop  of  the  Nautilus,  and 
took  me  into  a  cabin  situated  near  the  sailor’s  quarters. 

There,  on  a  bed,  lay  a  man  about  forty  years  of  age,  with  a 
resolute  expression  of  countenance,  a  true  type  of  an  Anglo- 
Saxon. 

I  leant  over  him.  He  was  not  only  ill,  he  was  wounded.  His 
head  swathed  in  bandages  covered  with  blood,  lay  on  a  pillow. 
I  undid  the  bandages,  and  the  wounded  man  looked  at  me  with 
his  large  eyes  and  gave  no  sign  of  pain  as  I  did  it.  It  was  a 
horrible  wound.  The  skull,  shattered  by  some  deadly  weapon, 
left  the  brain  exposed,  which  was  much  injured.  Clots  of  blood 
had  formed  in  the  bruised  and  broken  mass,  in  color  like  the 
dregs  of  wine. 

There  was  both  contusion  and  suffusion  of  the  brain.  His 
breathing  was  slow,  and  some  spasmodic  movements  of  the 


1^8  .TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

muscles  agitated  his  face.  I  felt  his  pulse.  It  was  intermittent. 
The  extremities  of  the  body  were  growing  cold  already,  and  I 
saw  death  must  inevitably  ensue.  After  dressing  the  unfortu¬ 
nate  man’s  wounds,  I  readjusted  the  bandages  on  his  head,  and 
tm’ned  to  Captain  Nemo. 

“  What  caused  this  wound?”  I  asked. 

“  What  does  it  signify?”  he  replied,  evasively.  “  A  shock  has 
broken  one  of  the  levers  of  the  engine,  which  struck  myself. 
But  your  opinion  as  to  his  state?” 

I  hesitated  before  giving  it. 

“  You  may  speak,”  said  the  captain.  “  This  man  does  not  un¬ 
derstand  French.”  ^ 

I  gave  a  last  look  at  the  wounded  man.  “  He  will  be  dead  in 
two  hours.”  “  Can  nothing  save  him?”  “  Nothing.” 

Captain  Nemo’s  hand  contracted,  and  some  tears  glistened  in 
his  eyes,  which  I  thought  incapable  of  shedding  any. 

For  some  moments  I  stiU  watched  the  dying  man,  whose  life 
ebbed  slowly.  His  pallor  increased  under  the  electric  light  that 
was  shed  over  his  death-bed.  I  looked  at  his  intelligent  fore¬ 
head,  furrowed  with  premature  wrinldes,  produced  probably  by 
misfortune  and  sorrow.  I  tried  to  learn  the  secret  of  his  life 
from  the  last  words  that  escaped  his  lips. 

“  You  can  go  now,  M.  Aronnax,”  said  the  captain. 

I  left  him  in  the  dying  man’s  cabin,  and  returned  to  my  room, 
much  affected  by  this  scene.  Dming  the  whole  day,  I  was 
haunted  by  uncomfortable  suspicions,  and  at  night  I  slept  badly, 
and,  between  my  broken  dreams,  I  fancied  I  heard  distant  sighs 
like  the  notes  of  a  funeral  psalm.  Were  they  the  prayers  of  the 
dead,  murmured  in  that  language  that  I  could  not  understand? 

The  next  morning  I  went  on  to  the  bridge.  Captain  Nemo 
was  there  before  me.  As  soon  as  he  perceived  me  he  came  to  me. 

“  Professor,  will  it  be  convenient  to  you  to  make  a  submarine 
excursion  to-day?”  “  With  my  companions?”  I  asked.  “  If  they 
like.” 

“  We  obey  your  orders.  Captain.” 

“  Will  you  be  so  good  then  as  to  put  on  your  cork- jackets  ?  ” 

It  was  not  a  question  of  dead  or  dying.  I  rejoined  Ned  Land 
and  Conseil,  and  told  them  of  Cantain  Nemo’s  proposition.  Con- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  159 


Beil  hastened  to  accept  it,  and  this  time  the  Canadian  seemed 
quite  willing  to  follow  our  example. 

It  was  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning.  At  half  past  eight  we 
were  equipped  for  this  new  excursion,  and  provided  with  two 
contrivances  for  light  and  breathing.  The  double  door  was 
open  ;  and  accompanied  by  Captain  Nemo,  who  was  followed 
by  a  dozen  of  the  crew,  we  set  foot,  at  a  depth  of  about  thirty 
feet,  on  the  solid  bottom  on  which  the  Nautilus  rested. 

A  slight  declivity  ended  in  an  uneven  bottom,  at  fifteen  fath¬ 
oms  depth.  This  bottom  differed  entirely  from  the  one  I  had 
visited  on  my  first  excursion  mider  the  waters  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  Here,  there  was  no  fine  sand,  no  submarine  prairies,  no 
sea-forest.  I  immediately  recognized  that  marvellous  region  in 
which,  on  that  day,  the  captain  did  tfie  honors  to  us.  It  was  the 
coral  kingdom.  In  the  zoophyte  branch  and  in  the  alcyon  class 
I  noticed  the  gorgonecC,  the  isidise,  and  the  coroUariae. 

The  light  produced  a  thousand  charming  varieties,  playing  in 
the  midst  of  the  branches  that  were  so  vividly  colored.  I  seemed 
to  see  the  membraneous  and  cylindrical  tubes  tremble  beneath 
the  undulation  of  the  waters.  I  was  tempted  to  gather  their 
fresh  petals,  ornamented  with  delicate  tentacles,  some  just  blown, 
the  others  budding,  while  small  fish,  swimming  swiftly,  touched 
them  slightly,  like  flights  of  birds.  But  if  my  hand  approached 
these  living  flowers,  these  animated  sensitive  plants,  the  whole 
colony  took  alarm.  The  white  petals  re-entered  their  red  cases, 
the  flowers  faded  as  I  looked,  and  the  bush  changed  into  a  block 
of  stony  knobs. 

Chance  had  thrown  me  just  by  the  most  precious  specimens 
of  this  zoophyte.  This  coral  was  more  valuable  than  that  found 
in  the  Mediterranean,  on  the  coasts  of  France,  Italy,  and  Bar¬ 
bary.  Its  tints  justified  the  poetical  names  of  “  Flower  of  Blood,” 
and  “  Froth  of  Blood,”  that  trade  has  given  to  its  most  beautiful 
productions.  Coral  is  sold  for  £  20  per  omice  ;  and  in  this  place, 
the  watery  beds  would  make  the  fortunes  of  a  company  of 
coral-divers.  This  precious  matter,  often  confused  with  other 
polypi,  formed  then  the  inextricable  plots  called  “  macciota,”  and 
on  which  I  noticed  several  beautiful  specimens  of  pink  coral. 

But  soon  the  bushes  contract,  and  the  arborizations  increase. 


160  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

Real  petrified  thickets,  long  joists  of  fantastic  architecture,  were 
disclosed  before  us.  Captain  Nemo  placed  himself  under  a  dark 
gallery,  where  by  a  slight  declivity  we  reached  a  depth  of  100 
yards.  The  light  from  our  lamps  produced  sometimes  magical 
effects,  following  the  rough  outlines  of  the  natural  arches,  and 
pendants  disposed  like  lustres,  that  were  tipped  with  points  of 
fire.  Between  the  coralline  shrubs  I  noticed  other  polypi  not 
less  curious,— melites,  and  irises  with  articulated  ramifications  ; 
also  some  tufts  of  coral,  some  green,  others  red,  like  sea-weed 
incrusted  in  their  calcareous  salts,  that  naturalists,  after  long 
discussion,  have  definitely  classed  in  the  vegetable  kingdom. 
But  following  the  remark  of  a  thinking  man,  “  there  is  perhaps 
the  real  point  where  life  rises  obscurely  from  the  sleep  of  a 
stone,  without  detaching  itself  from  the  rough  point  of  depart¬ 
ure.” 

At  last,  after  walking  two  hours,  we  had  attained  a  depth  of 
about  300  yards,  that  is  to  say,  the  extreme  limit  on  which  coral 
begins  to  form.  But  there  was  no  isolated  bush,  nor  modest 
brushwood,  at  the  bottom  of  lofty  trees.  It  was  an  immense 
forest  of  large  mineral  vegetations,  enormous  petrified  trees, 
united  by  garlands  of  elegant  plumarias,  sea  bindweed,  all 
adorned  with  clouds  and  reflections.  We  passed  freely  under 
their  high  branches,  lost  in  the  shade  of  the  waves,  while  at  our 
feet,  tubipores,  meandrines,  stars,  fungi,  and  caryophyllidse 
formed  a  carpet  of  flowers  sown  with  dazzling  gems.  Wliat  an 
indescribable  spectacle ! 

Captain  Nemo  had  stopped.  I  and  my  companions  halted, 
and  turning  round,  I  saw  his  men  were  forming  a  semicircle 
round  their  chief.  Watching  attentively,  I  observed  that  four  of 
them  carried  on  their  shoulders  an  object  of  an  oblong  shape. 

We  occupied,  in  this  place,  the  centre  of  a  vast  glade  sur¬ 
rounded  by  the  lofty  foliage  of  the  submarine  forest.  Our  lamps 
threw  over  this  place  a  sort  of  clear  twilight  that  singularly 
elongated  the  shadows  on  the  ground.  At  the  end  of  the  glade 
the  darkness  increased,  and  was  only  relieved  by  little  sparks 
reflected  by  the  points  of  coral. 

Ned  Land  and  Conseil  were  near  me.  We  watched,  and  I 
thought  I  was  going  to  witness  a  strange  scene.  On  observing 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  163 


the  ground,  I  saw  that  it  was  raised  in  certain  places  by  slight 
excrescences  encrusted  with  limy  deposits,  and  disposed  with  a 
regularity  that  betrayed  the  hand  of  man. 

In  the  midst  of  the  glade,  on  a  pedestal  of  rocks  roughly  piled 
up,  stood  a  cross  of  coral,  that  extended  its  long  arms  that  one 
might  have  thought  were  made  of  petrified  blood. 

Upon  a  sign  from  "Captain  Nemo,  one  of  the  men  advanced; 
and  at  some  feet  from  the  cross,  he  began  to  dig  a  hole  with  a 
pickaxe  that  he  took  from  his  belt.  I  miderstood  all !  This  glade 
was  a  cemetery,  this  hole  a  tomb,  this  oblong  object  the  body  of 
the  man  who  had  died  in  the  night !  The  captain  and  his  men 
had  come  to  bury  their  companion  in  this  general  resting-place, 
at  the  bottom  of  this  inaccessible  ocean  ! 

The  grave  was  being  dug  slowly;  the  fish  fled  on  all  sides 
while  their  retreat  was  thus  being  disturbed;  I  heard  the  strokes 
of  the  pickaxe,  which  sparkled  when  it  hit  upon  some  flint  lost 
at  the  bottom  of  the  waters.  The  hole  was  soon  large  and  deep 
enough  to  receive  the  body.  Then  the  bearers  approached;  the 
body,  enveloped  in  a  tissue  of  white  byssus,  was  lowered  into 
the  damp  grave.  Captain  Nemo,  with  his  arms  crossed  on  his 
breast,  and  all  the  friends  of  him  who  had  loved  them,  knelt  in 
prayer. 

The  grave  was  then  filled  in  with  the  rubbish  taken  from  the 
ground,  which  formed  a  slight  mound.  When  this  was  done, 
Captain  Nemo  and  his  men  rose;  then,  approaching  the  grave, 
they  knelt  again,  and  all  extended  their  hands  in  sign  of  a  last 
adieu.  Then  the  funeral  procession  returned  to  the  Nautilus, 
imssing  under  the  arches  of  the  forest,  in  the  midst  of  thickets, 
along  the  coral  bushes,  and  still  on  the  ascent.  At  last  the  firea 
on  board  appeared,  and  their  luminous  track  guided  us  to  the 
Nautilus.  At  one  o’clock  we  had  returned. 

As  soon  as  I  had  changed  my  clothes,  I  went  up  on  to  the  plat¬ 
form,  and,  a  prey  to  conflicting  emotions,  I  sat  down  near  the 
binnacle.  Captain  Nemo  joined  me.  rose  and  said  to  him, — 

“  So,  as  I  said  he  would,  this  man  died  in  the  night  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  M.  Arronax.” 

“And  he  rests  now,  near  his  companions,  in  the  coral  cem^ 
tery?” 


IC2  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  Yes,  forgotten  by  all  else,  but  not  by  us.  We  dug  the  grave, 
and  the  polypi  undertake  to  seal  our  dead  for  all  eternity.”  And 
burying  his  face  quickly  in  his  hands,  he  tried  in  vain  to  suppress 
a  sob.  Then  he  added, — “  Our  peaceful  cemetery  is  there,  some 
hundred  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  waves.” 

“Your  dead  sleep  quietly,  at  least,  Captain,  out  of  the  reach  of 
sharks.” 

“Yes.  sir,  of  sharks  and  men,''  gravely  replied  the  Captain. 


END  05  PA^T  first. 


V 


part  II. 


CHAPTER  L 

THE  INDIAN  OCEAN. 

We  now  come  to  the  second  part  of  our  journey  under  the  sea. 
ihe  first  ended  with  the  moving  scene  in  the  coral  cemetery, 
which  left  such  a  deep  impression  on  my  mind.  Thus,  in  the 
midst  of  this  great  sea,  Captain  Nemo’s  life  v/as  passing  even  to 
(lis  grave,  which  he  had  prepared  in  one  of  its  deepest  abysses. 
There,  not  one  of  the  ocean’s  monsters  could  trouble  the  last 
sleep  of  the  crew  of  the  Nautilus,  of  those  friends  riveted  to  each 
other  in  death  as  in  life.  “Nor  any  man  either,”  had  added  the 
captain.  Still  the  same  fierce,  implacable  defiance  towards 
tniman  society. 

I  could  no  longer  content  myself  with  the  hypothesis  which 
satisfied  Conseil. 

That  worthy  fellow  persisted  in  seeing  in  the  commander  of 
the  Nautilus  one  of  those  unknowm  savants  who  return  mankind 
contempt  for  mdifference.  For  him,  he  was  a  misunderstood 
genius,  who,  tired  of  earth’s  deceptions,  had  taken  refuge  in  this 
inaccessible  medium,  where  he  might  follow  his  instincts  freely. 
To  my  mind,  tliis  hypothesis  explained  but  one  side  of  Captain 
Nemo’s  character. 

Indeed,  the  mystery  of  that  last  iiigxit,  during  which  we  had 
been  chained  in  prison,  the  sleep,  and  the  precaution  so  violently 
taken  by  the  captain  of  snatching  from  my  eyes  the  glass  I  had 
raised  to  sweep  the  horizon,  the  mortal  wound  of  the  man,  due 
to  an  unaccountable  shock  of  the  Nautilus,  all  put  mr  on  a  new 
track.  No;  Captain  Nemo  was  not  satisfied  with  shunning  man. 
His  formidable  apparatus  not  only  suited  his  instinct  of  freedom, 
but,  perhaps,  also  the  design  of  some  terrible  retaliation. 

At  this  luorneixt  r.c tiling  is  clear  to  me;  I  catch  but  a  elimnse 

10.) 


/66  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

of  light  amidst  all  the  darkness,  and  I  must  confine  myself  to 
writing  as  events  shah  dictate. 

,  That  day,  the  24th  of  January,  1868,  at  noon,  the  second  officer 
came  to  take  the  altitude  of  the  sun.  I  mounted  the  platform, 
lit  a  cigar,  and  watched  the  operation.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the 
man  did  not  understand  French;  for  several  times  I  made  re¬ 
marks  in  a  loud  voice,  wliich  must  have  drawn  from  him  some 
involuntary  sign  of  attention,  if  he  had  understood  them;  but 
he  remained  undisturbed  and  dumb. 

As  he  was  taking  observations  with  the  sextant,  one  of  the 
sailors  of  the  Nautilus  (the  strong  man  who  had  accompanied  us 
on  our  first  submarine  excursion  to  the  Island  of  Crespo)  came 
to  clean  the  glasses  of  the  lantern.  I  examined  the  fittings  of 
the  apparatus,  the  strength  of  which  was  increased  a  hundred¬ 
fold  by  lenticular  rings,  placed  similar  to  those  in  a  light-house, 
and  which  projected  their  brilfiance  in  a  horizontal  plane.  The 
electric  lamp  was  combined  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  its  most 
powerful  fight.  Lideed  it  was  produced  in  vcicuo,  which  insured 
both  its  steadiness  and  its  intensity.  This  vacuum  economized 
the  graphite  points,  between  which  the  Imninous  arc  was  devel¬ 
oped, — an  important  point  of  economy  for  Captain  Nemo,  who 
could  not  easily  have  replaced  them;  and  under  these  conditions 
their  waste  was  imperceptible.  Vvdien  the  Nautilus  was  ready 
to  continue  its  submarine  journey,  I  went  down  to  1)  h  saloon. 
The  panels  were  closed,  and  the  course  marked  direct  west. 

We  were  furrowing  the  waters  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  a  vast 
liquid  plain,  with  a  surface  of  1,200,000,003  of  acres,  and  whose 
waters  are  so  clear  and  transparent,  that  any  one  leaning  over 
them  would  turn  giddy.  The  Nautilus  usually  floated  between 
fifty  and  a  hupdred  fathoms  deep.  We  went  on  so  for  some  days. 
To  any  one  but  myself,  who  had  a  great  love  for  the  sea,  the 
hours  would  have  seemed  long  and  monotonous;  but  the  daily 
walks  on  the  platform,  when  I  steeped  myself  in  the  reviving 
air  of  the  ocean,  the  sight  of  the  rich  waters  through  the  win¬ 
dows  of  the  saloon,  the  books  in  the  library,  the  compiling  of 
my  memoirs,  took  up  all  my  time,  and  left  me  not  a  moment  of 
ennui  or  weariness. 

^or  some  days  we  saw  a  great  number  of  aquatic  birds,  sear 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  167 


mews  or  gulls.  Some  were  cleverly  killed,  and,  prepared  in  a 
certain  way,  made  very  acceptable  water-game.  Amongst  large 
winged  birds,  carried  a  long  distance  from  all  lands,  and  rest- 
ing  upon  the  waves  from  the  fatigue  of  their  flight,  I  saw  some 
magnifioent  albatrosses,  uttering  discordant  cries  like  the  bray¬ 
ing  of  an  ass,  and  birds  belonging  to  the  family  of  the  longi- 
pennates.  The  family  of  the  totipalmates  was  represented  by 
the  sea-swaUows,  which  caught  the  fish  from  the  surface,  and 
by  numerous  phaetons,  or  lepturi;  amongst  others,  the  phaeton 
with  red  lines,  as  large  as  a  pigeon,  whose  white  plumage, 
tinted  with  pink,  shows  off  to  advantage  the  blackness  of  its 
wings. 

As  to  the  fish,  they  always  provoked  our  admiration  when  we 
surprised  the  secrets  of  their  aquatic  life  through  the  open 
panels.  I  saw  many  kinds  which  I  never  before  had  a  chance 
of  observing. 

I  shall  notice  chiefly  ostracions  peculiar  to  the  Red  Sea,  the 
Indian  Ocean,  and  that  part  which  washes  the  coast  of  tropical 
America.  These  fishes,  like  the  tortoise,  the  armadillo,  the  sea 
hedgehog,  and  the  Crustacea,  are  protected  by  a  breastplate 
which  is  neither  chalky  nor  stony,  but  real  bone.  In  some  it 
takes  the  form  of  a  solid  triangle,  in  others  of  a  solid  quadran¬ 
gle.  Amongst  the  triangular  I  saw  some  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length,  with  wholesome  flesh  and  a  delicious  flavor;  they  are 
brown  at  the  tail,  and  yellow  at  the  fins,  and  I  recommend  their 
introduction  into  fresh  water,  to  which  a  certain  number  of  sea- 
fish  easily  accustom  themselves.  I  would  also  mention  quadran¬ 
gular  ostracions,  hartng  on  the  back  four  large  tubercles;  some 
dotted  over  with  white  spots  on  the  lower  part  of  the  body,  and 
which  may  be  tamed  like  birds;  trigons  provided  with  spikes 
formed  by  the  lengthening  of  their  bony  shell,  and  which  from 
their  strange  grantings  are  called  “sea-pigs”;  also  dromedaries 
with  large  humps  in  the  shape  of  a  cone,  whose  flesh  is  very 
tough  and  leathery. 

I  now  borrow  from  the  daily  notes  of  Master  Conseil.  “  Cer¬ 
tain  fish  of  the  g’enus  netrodon  necullar  to  those  seas,  with  red 
backs  and  white  chests,  which  are  distinguished  by  three  rows 
of  longitudinal  filaments ;  and  some  electrical  seven  inches 


168  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS- 

long,  decked  in  the  livelier^  colors.  Then,  as  specimens  of  other 
kinds,  some  ovoides,  resembdng  an  egg  of  a  dark  brown  color, 
marked  with  white  bands,  and  without  tails;  diodons,  real  sea- 
porcupines,  fni’nished  with  spikes,  and  capable  of  swelling  in 
such  a  way  as  to  look  like  cushions  bristliiig  with  darts;  hippo¬ 
campi,  common  to  every  ocean ;  some  pegasi  with  lengthened 
snouts,  which  their  pectoral  fms,  being  much  elongated  and 
formed  in  the  shape  of  wings,  allow,  if  not  to  fly,  at  least  to 
shoot  into  the  air;  pigeon  spatiike,  with  tails  covered  with  many 
rings  of  shell;  macrognathi  with  long  jaws,  an  excellent  fish, 
nine  inches  long,  and  bright  with  most  agreeable  colors;  pale- 
colored  calliomores,  with  rugged  heads;  and  plenty  of  chseto- 
dons,  with  long  and  tubular  muzzles,  which  kill  insects  by 
shooting  them,  as  from  an  air-gun,  with  a  single  drop  of  water. 
These  we  may  call  the  fly-catchers  of  the  seas. 

“In  the  eighty-ninth  genus  of  fishes,  classed  by  Lacepede,  be¬ 
longing  to  the  second  lower  class  of  bony,  characterized  by 
opercules  and  bronchial  membranes,  I  remarked  the  scorpeena. 
the  head  of  which  is  furnished  with  spikes,  and  which  has  buA 
one  dorsal  fin;  these  crxcatures  are  covered,  or  not,  with  little 
ohells,  according  to  tlie  sub-class  to  which  they  belong.  The 
second  sub  -  class  give  us  specimens  of  didactyles  fourteen  or 
fifteen  inches  in  length,  with  yellow  rays,  and  heads  of  a  most 
fantastic  appearance.  As  to  the  first  sub-class,  it  gives  several 
specimens  of  that  singular -looking  fish  appropriately  called  a 
“  sea-frog,”  with  large  head,  sometimes  pierced  with  holes,  some¬ 
times  swollen  with  protuberances,  bristling  wnth  spikes,  and 
covered  with  tubercles ;  it  has  irregular  and  hideous  horns; 
its  body  and  tail  are  covered  with  callosities;  its  sting  makes  a 
dangerous  wound ;  it  is  both  repugnant  and  horrible  to 
look  at.” 

From  the  2lGt  to  the  23d  of  January,  the  Nautilus  went  at  the 
rate  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  in  twenty-four  hours, 
being  five  hundred  and  f  u’ty  miles  or  twenty-tv/o  miles  an  hour. 
If  we  recognized  so  many  different  varieties  of  fish,  it  was  be¬ 
cause,  attracted  by  the  electric  ih'bt,  they  tried  to  follow  us  ;  the 
greater  part,  however,  were  soon  d.istanced  by  our  speed,  though 
some  kept  their  place  in  the  waters  of  the  Nautilus  for  a  time. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  169 


The  moiTiing  of  the  2-l:th,  in  12°  6'  south  latitude,  and  94°  33’ 
longitude,  we  observed  Keeling  Island,  a  madrepore  formation, 
planted  with  magnificent  cocoas,  and  which  had  been  visited  by 
Mr.  Darwin  and  Captain  Fitzroy.  The  Nautilus  skirted  the 
shores  of  this  desert  island  for  a  httle  distance.  Its  nets  brought 
up  numerous  specimens  of  polypi,  and  curious  shells  of  moUusca. 
Some  precious  productions  of  the  species  of  delphinulse  enriched 
the  treasures  of  Captain  Nemo,  to  which  I  added  an  astrsea 
punctiCera,  a  kind  of  parasite  polypus  often  found  fixed  to  a 
shell.  Soon  Keeling  Island  disappeared  from  the  horizon,  and 
our  course  was  directed  to  ihe  northwest  in  the  direction  of  the 
Indian  Peninsula. 

From  Keeling  Island  our  course  was  slower  and  more  vari¬ 
able,  often  taking  us  into  great  depths.  Several  times  they  made 
use  of  the  inclined  planes,  wliich  certain  internal  levers  placed 
obliquely  to  the  water-line.  In  that  way  we  went  about  two 
miles,  but  without  ever  obtaining  the  greatest  depths  of  the 
Indian  Sea,  which  soundings  of  seven  thousand  fathoms  have 
never  reached.  As  to  the  temperature  of  the  lower  strata,  the 
thermometer  invariably  indicated  4°  above  zero.  I  only  observed 
that,  in  the  upper  regions,  the  water  was  always  colder  in  the 
high  levels  than  at  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

On  the  25th  of  January,  the  ocean  was  entirely  deserted  ;  the 
Nautilus  passed  the  dc.y  on  the  smTace,  beating  fhe  waves  with 
its  powerful  screw,  and  making  them  rebound  to  a  great  height. 
Who  under  such  circumstances  would  not  have  taken  it  for  a 
gigantic  cetacean  ?  Three  parts  of  this  day  I  spent  on  the  plat¬ 
form.  I  watched  the  sea.  Nothing  on  the  horizon,  till  about 
four  o’clock  a  steamer  running  west  on  our  counter.  Her  masts 
were  visible  for  an  instant,  but  she  could  not  see  the  Nautilus, 
bemg  too  low  in  the  water.  I  fancied  this  steamboat  belonged 
to  the  P.  0.  Company,  which  runs  from  Ceylon  to  Sydney,  touch¬ 
ing  at  King  George’s  Point  and  Melbourne. 

At  five  o’clock  in  the  evening,  before  that  fleeting  twilight 
which  binds  night  to  day  in  tropical  zones,  ConseU  and  I  were 
astonished  by  a  curious  spectacle. 

It  was  a  shoal  of  argonauts  travelling  along  on  the  surface  of 
the  ocean.  We  could  count  several  hundreds.  They  belonged 


170  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

to  the  tubercle  kind  which  are  peculiar  to  the  Indian  iseaa 
These  graceful  molluscs  moved  backwards  by  means  of  their 
locomotive  tube,  through  which  they  propelled  the  water  already 
drawn  in.  Of  their  eight  tentacles,  six  were  elongated,  and 
stretched  out  floating  on  the  water,  whilst  the  other  two,  rolled 
up  flat,  were  spread  to  the  wind  like  a  light  sail.  I  saw  their 
spiral-shaped  and  fluted  shells,  which  Cuvier  justly  compares  to 
an  elegant  skiff.  A  boat  indeed !  It  bears  the  creature  which 
secretes  it  without  its  adhering  to  it. 

For  nearly  an  hour  the  Nautilus  floated  in  the  midst  of  this 
shoal  of  molluscs.  Then  I  know  not  what  sudden  fright  they 
took  ;  but  as  if  at  a  signal  every  sail  was  furled,  the  arms  folded, 
the  body  drawn  in,  th»  shells  turned  over,  changing  their  centre 
of  gravity,  and  the  whole  fleet  disappeared  under  the  waves. 
Never  did  the  ships  of  a  squadron  manoeuvre  with  more  unity. 

At  that  moment  night  fell  suddenly,  and  the  reeds,  scarcely 
raised  by  the  breeze,  lay  peaceably  under  the  sides  of  the  Nau¬ 
tilus. 

The  next  day,  26th  of  January,  we  cut  the  equator  at  the  eighty- 
second  meridian,  and  entered  the  northern  hemisphere.  Dur¬ 
ing  the  day,  a  formidable  troop  of  sharks  accompanied  us,  ter¬ 
rible  creatures,  which  multiply  in  these  seas,  and  make  them 
very  dangerous.  They  were  “  cestracio  philippi  ”  sharks,  with 
brown  backs  and  whitish  bellies,  armed  with  eleven  rows  of 
teeth, — eyed  sharks, —  their  throat  being  marked  with  a  large 
black  spot  surrounded  with  white  like  an  eye.  There  were  also 
some  Isabella  sharks,  with  rounded  snouts  marked  with  dark 
spots.  These  powerful  creatures  often  hurled  themselves  at  the 
windows  of  the  saloon  with  such  violence  as  to  make  us  feel  very 
insecure.  At  such  times  Ned  Land  was  no  longer  master  of 
himself.  He  wanted  to  go  to  the  surface  and  harpoon  the  mon¬ 
sters,  particularly  certain  smooth-hound  sharks,  whose  mouth 
is  studded  with  teeth  like  a  mosaic  ;  and  large  tiger-sharks  near¬ 
ly  six  yards  long,  the  last-named  of  which  seemed  to  excite  him 
more  particularly.  But  the  Nautilus,  accelerating  her  speed, 
easily  left  the  most  rapid  of  them  behind. 

The  27th  of  January,  at  the  entrance  of  the  vast  Bay  of  Bern 
gal,  we  met  repeatedly  a  forbidding  spectacle, —  dead  bodies 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  17i 


floating  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  They  were  the  dead  of 
the  Indian  villages,  carried  by  the  Ganges  to  the  level  of  the  sea, 
and  which  the  vultures,  the  only  undertakers  of  the  country, 
had  not  been  able  to  devour.  But  the  sharks  did  not  fail  to  help 
them  at  their  funereal  work. 

About  seven  o’clock  in  the  evening,  the  Nautilus,  half  im¬ 
mersed,  was  sailing  in  a  sea  of  milk.  At  first  sight  the  ocean 
seemed  lactified.  Was  it  the  effects  of  the  lunar  rays?  No;  for 
the  moon,  scarcely  two  days  old,  was  stiU  lying  hidden  under 
the  horizon  in  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  whole  sky,  though  lit 
by  the  siderial  rays,  seemed  black  by  contrast  with  the  white¬ 
ness  of  the  waters. 

Conseil  could  not  believe  his  eyes,  and  questioned  me  as  to  the 
cause  of  this  strange  phenomenon.  Happily  I  was  able  to 
answer  him. 

“It  is  called  a  milk  sea,”  I  explained;  “  a  large  extent  of  white 
wavelets  often  to  be  seen  on  the  coasts  of  Amboyna,  and  in 
these  parts  of  the  sea.” 

“But,  sir,”  said  Conseil,  “can  you  tell  me  what  causes  such  an 
effect?  for  I  suppose  the  water  is  not  really  turned  mto  milk.” 

“  No,  my  boy;  and  the  wliiteness  which  surprises  you  is  caused 
only  by  the  presence  of  myriads  of  infusoria,  a  sort  of  luminous 
little  worm,  gelatinous  and  without  color,  of  the  thickness  of  a 
hair,  and  whose  length  is  not  more  than  the  seven  one-thou¬ 
sandths  of  an  inch.  These  insects  adhere  to  one  another  some¬ 
times  for  several  leagues.” 

“  Several  leagues!”  exclaimed  Conseil 

“Yes,  my  boy;  and  you  need  not  try  to  compute  the  number 
of  these  infusoria.  You  will  not  be  able ;  for,  if  I  am  not  mis¬ 
taken,  ships  have  floated  on  these  no  ilk  seas  for  more  than  forty 
miles.” 

Towards  midnight  the  sea  suddenly  resumed  its  usual  color; 
but  behind  us,  even  to  the  limits  of  the  horizon,  the  sky  reflected 
the  whitened  waves,  and  for  a  long  time  seemed  impregnated 
with  the  vague  glimmerings  of  an  aurora  borealis. 


CHAPTER  II 


A  NOVEL  PROPOSAL. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  when  at  noon  the  Nautilus  came  to 
the  surface  of  the  sea,  in  9°  4'  north  latitude,  there  was  land  in 
sight  about  eight  miles  to  westward.  The  first  tiling  I  noticed 
was  a  range  of  mountains  about  two  thousand  feet  high,  the 
shapes  of  which  were  most  capricious.  On  taking  the  bear¬ 
ings,  I  knew  that  we  were  nearing  the  Island  of  Ceylon,  the 
pearl  which  hangs  from  the  lobe  of  the  Indian  Peninsula. 

Captain  Nemo  and  liis  second  appeared  at  this  moment.  The 
captain  glanced  at  the  map.  Then,  turning  to  me,  said, — 

“  The  Island  of  Ceylon,  noted  for  its  pearl  -  fisheries.  Would 
you  like  to  visit  one  of  them,  M.  Aronnax?” 

“Certainly,  Captain.” 

“  WeU,  the  thing  is  easy.  Though  if  we  see  the  fisheries,  we 
shall  not  see  tne  fishermen.  The  annual  exportation  has  not 
yet  begun,  l^ei'er  mind,  I  will  give  orders  to  make  for  the  Gulf 
of  Manaar,  where  we  shall  arrive  in  the  night.” 

The  captain  said  something  to  his  second,  who  immediately 
went  out.  Soon  the  Nautilus  returned  to  her  native  element, 
and  the  manometer  showed  that  she  was  about  thirty  feet  deep. 

“  Well,  sir,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  “  you  and  your  companions 
shall  visit  the  Bank  of  Manaar,  and  if  by  chance  some  fisher¬ 
man  should  be  there,  we  shall  see  him  at  work.” 

“Agreed,  Captain!  ”  “By  the  by,  M.  Aronnax,  you  are  not 
afraid  of  sharks?  ”  “  Sharks!  ”  exclaimed  I. 

This  question  seemed  a  very  hard  one. 

“  WeU,”  continued  Captain  Nemo. 

“I  admit  Capta’m,  that  I  am  not  yet  very  familiar  with  that 
kted  of  fish.” 


172 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  173 


“  We  are  accustomed  to  them,”  replied  Captain  Nemo ;  “  and 
in  time  you  will  be  too.  However,  we  shall  be  armed,  and  on 
the  road  we  may  be  able  to  hunt  some  of  the  tribe.  It  is  mter- 
esting.  So,  tiU  to-morrow,  sir,  and  early.” 

This  said  in  a  careless  tone.  Captain  Nemo  left  the  saloon. 
Now,  if  you  were  invited  to  hunt  the  bear  in  the  mountains  of 
Switzerland,  what  would  you  say?  “  Very  well !  to-morrow  we 
will  go  and  hunt  the  bear.”  If  you  were  asked  to  hunt  the  lion 
in  the  plains  of  Atlas,  or  the  tiger  in  the  Indian  jungles,  what 
would  you  say  ?  “  Ha  !  ha  !  it  seems  we  are  going  to  hunt  the 
tiger  or  the  lion  1  ”  But  when  you  are  invited  to  hunt  the 
shark  in  its  natural  element,  you  wo -ild  perhaps  reflect  before 
accepting  the  invitation.  As  for  myself,  I  passed  my  hand  over  my 
forehead,  on  which  stood  large  drops  of  cold  perspiration.  “  Let 
us  reflect,”  said  I,  “  and  take  ou  •  time.  Hunting  otters  in  sub¬ 
marine  forests,  as  we  did  in  the  s  and  of  Crespo,  will  pass;  but 
going  up  and  down  at  the  bott>ni  of  the  sea,  where  one  is 
almost  certain  to  meet  sharks,  is  qu  '^e  another  thing  !  I  know 
well  that  in  certain  countries,  parti  :*ulaily  in  the  Andaman 
Islands,  the  negroes  never  hesitate  to  attack  them  with  a  dag¬ 
ger  in  one  hand  and  a  running  noose  in  the  other;  but  I  also 
know  that  few  who  affront  those  creatures  ever  return  alive. 
However,  I  am  not  a  negro,  and,  if  I  were,  I  think  a  little  hesi¬ 
tation  in  this  case  would  not  be  ill-timed.” 

At  this  moment,  Conseil  and  the  Canadian  entered,  quite  com¬ 
posed,  and  even  joyous.  They  knew  not  what  awaited  them. 

“Faith,  sir,”  said  Ned  Land,  “your  Captain  Nemo — the  devil 
take  him  ! — has  just  made  us  a  very  pleasant  offer.” 

“  Ah  !  ”  said  I,  “  you  know  ?  ” 

“If  agreeable  to  you,  sir,”  interrupted  Conseil,  “the  com¬ 
mander  of  the  Nautilus  has  invited  us  to  visit  the  magnificent 
Ceylon  fisheries  to-morrow,  in  your  company;  he  did  it  kindly, 
and  behaved  like  a  real  gentleman.” 

“He  said  nothing  more  ?” 

“  Nothing  more,  sir,  except  that  he  had  already  spoken  to  you 
of  this  little  walk.” 

“  Sir,”  said  Conseil,  “  would  you  give  us  some  details  of  the 
pearl-fishery  ?  ” 


174  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEASUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  As  to  the  fishing  itself,”  I  asked,  “  or  the  incidents,  which  ?” 

“On  the  fishing,”  replied  the  Canadian;  “before  entering 
upon  the  ground  it  is  as  well  to  know  something  about  it.” 

“  Very  well;  sit  down,  my  friends,  and  I  wUl  teskch  you.” 

Ned  and  Conseil  seated  themselves  on  an  ottoman,  and  the 
first  thing  the  Canadian  asked  was: — 

“  Sir,  what  is  a  pearl  ?  ” 

“My  worthy  Ned,”  I  answered,  “to  the  poet  a  pearl  is  a  tear 
of  the  sea;  to  the  Orientals,  it  is  a  drop  of  dew  solidified;  to  the 
ladies,  it  is  a  jewel  of  an  oblong  shape,  of  a  brilliancy  of 
mother-of-peaii  substance,  which  they  wear  on  their  fingers, 
their  necks,  or  their  ears;  for  the  chemist,  it  is  a  mixture  of 
phosphate  and  carbonate  of  lime,  with  a  little  gelatine ;  and 
lastly,  for  naturalists,  it  is  simply  a  morbid  secretion  of  the  organ 
that  produces  the  mother-of-pearl  amongst  certain  bivalves.” 

“  Branch  of  moUusca,”  said  Conseil,  “  class  of  acephali,  order 
of  testacea.” 

“Precisely  so,  my  learned  Conseil;  and  amongst  these  testa¬ 
cea,  the  earshell,  the  tridacnse,  the  turbots, — in  a  word,  all  those 
which  secrete  mother-of-pearl,  that  is,  the  blue,  bluish,  violet,  or 
white  substance  which  lines  the  interior  of  their  shells,  are  ca¬ 
pable  of  producing  pearls,” 

“Mussels  too  ?  ”  asked  the  Canadian. 

“  Yes,  mussels  of  certain  waters  in  Scotland,  Wales,  Ireland, 
Saxony,  Bohemia,  and  France.” 

“  Good !  For  the  future  I  shall  pay  attention,”  replied  the 
Canadian. 

“  But,”  I  continued,  “  the  particular  mollu^  which  secretes  the 
pearl  is  'pmrl- oyster^  the  MeUagrina  margariUfera,\h2X 
precious  pintadine.  The  pearl  is  nothing  but  a  nacreous  forma¬ 
tion,  deposited  in  a  globular  form,  either  adhering  to  the  oyster- 
shell,  or  buried  in  the  folds  of  the  creature.  On  the  shell  it  is 
fast;  in  the  flesh  it  is  loose;  but  always  has  for  a  kernel  a  small, 
hard  substance,  may  be  a  barren  egg,  may  be  a  grain  of  sand, 
around  which  the  pearly  matter  deposits  itself  year  after  year 
successively,  and  by  thin  concentric  layers.” 

“Are  many  pearls  found  m  the  same  oyster?”  asked  Conseil. 

“  Yes,  my  boy.  There  are  sdme  piiltadines  a  perfect  casket 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  175 


One  oyster  has  been  mentioned,  though  I  allow  myself  to  doubt 
it,  as  having  contained  no  less  than  a  hundred  and  fifty 
sharks.” 

“A  hundred  and  fifty  sharks!”  exclaimed  Ned  Land. 

“  Did  I  say  sharks?”  said  I,  hurriedly.  “  I  meant  to  say  a  hun¬ 
dred  and  fifty  pearls.  Sharks  would  not  be  sense.” 

“Certainly  not,”  said  Conseil;  “but  will  you  tell  us  now  by 
what  means  they  extract  these  pearls?” 

“They  proceed  in  various  ways.  Wlien  they  adhere  to  the 
shell,  the  fishermen  often  pull  them  off  with  pmcers;  but  the 
most  common  way  is  to  lay  the  pintadines  on  mats  of  the  sea¬ 
weed  which  covers  the  banks.  Thus  they  die  in  the  open  air;  and 
at  the  end  of  ten  days  they  are  in  a  forward  state  of  decomposi¬ 
tion.  They  are  then  plunged  into  large  reservoirs  of  sea-water; 
then  they  are  opened  and  washed.  Now  begins  the  double 
work  of  the  sorters.  First  they  separate  the  layers  of  pearl, 
known  in  commerce  by  the  name  of  bastard  whites  and  bastard 
blacks,  which  are  delivered  in  boxes  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
and  three  hundred  pounds  each.  Then  they  take  the  parenchy¬ 
ma  of  the  oyster,  boil  it,  and  pass  it  through  a  sieve  in  order  to 
extract  the  very  smallest  pearls.” 

“The  price  of  these  pearls  varies  according  to  their  size?” 
asked  Conseil. 

“  Not  only  according  to  their  size,”  I  answered,  “  but  also  ac¬ 
cording  to  their  shape,  their  water  (that  is,  their  color),  and  their 
lustre;  that  is,  that  bright  and  diapered  sparkle  which  makes 
them  so  charming  to  the  eye.  The  most  beautiful  are  called 
virgin  pearls  or  paragons.  They  are  formed  alone  in  the  tissue 
of  the  mollusc,  are  white,  often  opaque,  and  sometimes  have 
the  transparency  of  an  opal;  they  are  generally  round  or  oval. 
The  romid  are  made  into  bracelets,  the  oval  into  pendants;  and, 
being  more  precious,  are  sold  singly.  Those  adhering  to  the 
shell  of  the  oyster  are  more  irregular  in  shape,  and  are  sold  by 
weight.  Lastly,  in  a  lower  order  are  classed  those  small  pearls 
known  under  the  name  of  seed-pearls;  they  are  sold  by  meas¬ 
ure,  and  are  especially  used  in  embroidery  for  church  ornar 
ments.” 

“  But,”  said  Conseil,  “  is  tiffs  pearl-fishery  dangerous?” 


176  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS, 

“No,”  I  answered,  quickly;  “particularly  if  certain  precau¬ 
tions  are  taken.” 

“What  does  one  risk  in  such  a  calling?”  said  Ned  Land;  “the 
swallowing  of  some  mouthfuls  of  sea-water?” 

“  As  you  say,  Ned.  By  the  by,”  said  I,  trying  to  take  Captain 
Nemo’s  careless  tone,  “  are  you  afraid  of  sharks,  brave  Ned?” 

“II”  replied  the  Canadian;  “a  harpooner  by  profession?  It 
is  my  trade  to  malie  hght  of  them.” 

“  But,”  said  I,  “  it  is  not  a  question  of  fishing  for  them  with 
an  iron  swivel,  hoisting  them  into  the  vessel,  cutting  off  their 
tails  with  a  blow  of  a  chopper,  ripping  them  up,  and  throwing 
their  hearts  into  the  sea !” 

“  Then  it  is  a  question  of — ”  “  Precisely.”  “  In  the  water?* 

“  In  the  water.” 

“Faith,  with  a  good  harpoon!  You  know,  sir,  these  sharks 
are  ill -fashioned  beasts.  They  must  turn  on  their  bellies  to 
seize  you,  and  in  that  time  —  ” 

Ned  Land  had  a  way  of  saying  “  seize,”  which  made  my  blood 
run  cold. 

“  Well,  and  you,  Conseil,  what  do  you  think  of  sharks?” 

“Me  !”  said  Conseil.  “I  will  be  frank,  sir.” 

“  So  much  the  better,”  thought  I. 

“  If  you,  sir,  mean  to  face  the  sharks,  I  do  not  see  why  your 
faithful  servant-should  not  face  them  with  you,” 


CHAPTER  III 


A  PEARL  OF  TEN  MILLIONS. 

The  next  morning  at  four  o’clock  I  was  awakened  by  the 
steward,  whom  Captain  Nemo  had  placed  at  my  service.  I  rose 
hurriedly,  dressed,  and  went  into  the  saloon. 

Captain  Nemo  was  awaiting  me. 

“  M.  Aronnax,”  said  he,  “are  you  ready  to  start?”  “I  am 
ready.”  “  Then,  please  to  follow  me.”  “  And  my  companions. 
Captain  ?  ”  “  They  have  been  told,  and  are  waiting.”  “  Are  we 
not  to  put  on  our  diver’s  dresses  ?  ”  asked  I. 

“  Not  yet.  I  have  not  allowed  the  Nautilus  to  come  too  near 
this  coast,  and  we  are  some  distance  from  the  Manaar  Bank; 
but  the  boat  is  ready,  and  will  take  us  to  the  exact  point  of  dis¬ 
embarking,  which  will  save  us  a  long  way.  It  carries  our  div¬ 
ing  apparatus,  which  we  yall  put  on  when  we  begin  our  sub¬ 
marine  journey.” 

Captain  Nemo  conducted  me  to  the  central  staircase,  which 
led  on  to  the  platform.  Ned  and  Conseil  were  already  there, 
delighted  at  the  idea  of  the  “  pleasure  party  ”  which  was  pre¬ 
paring.  Five  sailors  from  the  NautUus,  with  their  oars,  waited 
in  the  boat,  which  had  been  made  fast  against  the  side. 

The  night  was  still  dark.  Layers  of  clouds  covered  the  sky, 
allowing  but  few  stars  to  be  seen.  I  looked  on  the  side  where 
the  land  lay,  and  saw  nothing  but  a  dark  line  enclosing  three 
parts  of  the  horizon,  from  southwest  to  northwest.  The  Nau¬ 
tilus,  having  returned  during  the  night  up  the  western  coast  of 
Ceylon,  was  now  west  of  the  bay,  or  rather  gulf,  formed  by  the 
mainland  and  the  island  of  Manaar.  There,  under  the  dark 
waters,  stretched  the  pintadine  bank,  an.  inexhaustible  field  of 
pearls,  the  length  of  which  is  more  than  twenty  miles. 

13 


178  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

Captain  Nemo,  Ned  Land,  Conseil,  and  I,  took  our  places  m 
the  stern  of  the  boat.  The  master  went  to  the  tiller;  his  tour 
companions  leaned  on  their  oars,  the  painter  was  cast  off,  and 
we  sheered  off. 

The  boat  went  towards  the  south ;  the  oarsmen  did  not  hurry. 
I  noticed  that  their  strokes,  strong  in  the  water,  only  followed 
each  other  every  ten  seconds,  according  to  the  method  gener¬ 
ally  adopted  in  the  navy.  Whilst  the  craft  was  running  by  its 
own  velocity,  the  liquid  drops  struck  the  dark  depths  of  the 
waves  crisply  like  spots  of  melted  lead.  A  little  billow,  spread¬ 
ing  wide,  gave  a  slight  roll  to  the  boat,  and  some  samphire  reeds 
flapped  before  it. 

We  were  silent.  What  was  Captain  Nemo  thinking  of? 
Perhaps  of  the  land  he  was  approaching,  and  which  he  found  too 
near  to  him,  contrary  to  the  Canadian’s  opinion,  who  thought 
it  too  far  off.  As  to  Conseil,  he  was  merely  there  from  curiosity. 

About  half-past  five,  the  first  tints  on  the  horizon  showed  the 
upper  line  of  coast  more  distinctly.  Flat  enough  in  the  east,  it 
rose  a  little  to  the  south.  Five  miles  still  lay  between  us,  and  it 
was  indistinct,  owing  to  the  mist  on  the  water.  At  six  o’clock  it 
became  suddenly  daylight,  with  that  rapidity  peculiar  to  tropical 
regions,  which  know  neither  dawn  nor  twilight.  The  solar  rays 
pierced  the  curtain  of  clouds  piled  upon  the  eastern  horizon,  and 
the  radiant  orb  rose  rapidly.  I  saw  land  distinctly,  with  a  few 
trees  scattered  here  and  there.  The  boat  neared  Manaar  Island, 
which  was  rounded  to  the  south.  Captain  Nemo  rose  from  his 
seat  and  watched  the  sea. 

At  a  sign  from  him  the  anchor  was  dropped,  but  the  chain 
scarcely  ran,  for  it  was  little  more  than  a  yard  deep,  and  this 
spot  was  one  of  the  highest  points  of  the  bank  of  pintadines. 

“Here  we  are,  M.  Aronnax,”  said  Captain  Nemo.  “You  see 
that  enclosed  bay  ?  Here,  in  a  month,  will  be  assembled  the 
numerous  fishing-boats  of  the  exporters,  and  these  are  the 
waters  their  divers  will  ransack  so  boldly.  Happily,  this  bay  is 
well  situated  for  that  kind  of  fishing.  It  is  sheltered  from  the 
strongest  winds;  the  sea  is  never  very  rough  here,  W'hich  makes 
it  favorable  for  the  diver’s  work.  We  will  now  put  on  our 
dresses,  and  begin  our  walk.” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  179 


I  did  not  answer,  and  while  watching  the  suspected  waves, 
began  with  the  help  of  the  sailors  to  put  on  my  heavy  sea-dress. 
Captain  Nemo  and  my  companions  were  also  dressing.  None 
of  the  Nautilus’  men  were  to  accompany  us  on  this  new  excursion. 

Soon  we  were  enveloped  to  the  tliroat  in  india-rubber  cloth¬ 
ing;  the  air  apparatus  fixed  to  our  backs  by  braces.  As  to  the 
Ruhmkorlf  apparatus,  there  was  no  necessity  for  it.  Before 
putting  my  head  into  the  copper  cap,  I  had  asked  the  question 
of  the  captain. 

“  They  would  be  useless,”  he  replied.  “  We  are  going  to  no 
great  depth,  and  the  solar  rays  will  be  enough  to  light  our  walk. 
Besides,  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  carry  the  electric  light  in 
these  waters;  its  brilliancy  might  attract  some  of  the  dangerous 
inhabitants  of  the  coast  most  inopportunely.” 

As  Captain  Nemo  pronounced  these  words,  I  turned  to  Conseil 
and  Ned  Land.  But  my  two  friends  had  already  encased  their 
heads  in  the  metal  cap,  and  they  could  neither  hear  nor  answer. 

One  last  question  remained  to  ask  of  Captain  Nemo. 

“  And  our  anns  ?  ”  asked  I;  “ our  guns  ? ” 

“  Guns !  what  for  ?  Do  not  mountaineers  attack  the  bear  with 
daggers  in  their  hand,  and  is  not  steel  surer  than  lead  ?  Here 
is  a  strong  blade;  put  it  in  your  belt,  and  we  start.” 

I  looked  at  my  companions;  they  were  armed  like  us,  and, 
more  than  that,  Ned  Land  was  brandishing  an  enormous  har¬ 
poon,  which  he  had  placed  in  the  boat  before  leaving  the  Nau¬ 
tilus. 

Then,  following  the  captain’s  example,  I  allowed  myself  to  be 
dressed  in  the  heavy  copper  helmet,  and  our  reservoirs  of  air 
were  at  once  in  activity.  An  instant  after,  we  were  landed,  one 
after  the  other,  in  about  two  feet  of  water  upon  an  even  sand. 
Captain  Nemo  made  a  sign  with  his  hand,  and  we  followed  liim 
by  a  gentle  declivity  till  we  disappeared  under  the  waves. 

Over  our  feet,  like  coveys  of  snipe  in  a  bog,  rose  shoals  of  fish, 
of  the  genus  monoptera,  which  have  no  other  fins  but  their  tail. 
I  recognized  the  Javanese,  a  real  serpent,  two  and  a  half  feet 
long,  of  a  livid  color  underneatli,  and  which  might  easily  be  mis¬ 
taken  for  a  conger  eel  if  it  was  not  for  the  golden  stripes  on  its 
sides.  In  the  genus  stromateus,  whose  bodies  are  very  flat  and 


l80  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS* 

oval,  I  saw  some  of  the  most  brilliant  colors,  carrying  their  dor¬ 
sal  fin  like  a  scythe;  an  excellent  eating  fish,  wliich,  dried  and 
pickled,  is  known  by  the  name  of  Karawade  ;  .then  some  tran- 
quebars,  belonging  to  the  genus  apsiphoroides,  whose  body  is 
covered  with  a  shell  cuirass  of  eight  longitudinal  plates. 

The  heightening  sun  fit  the  mass  of  waters  more  and  more. 
The  soil  changed  by  degrees.  To  the  fine  sand  succeeded  a  per¬ 
fect  causeway  of  boulders,  covered  with  a  carpet  of  molluscs 
and  zoophytes.  Amongst  the  specimens  of  these  branches  I 
noticed  some  placenae,  with  thin,  unequal  shells,  a  kind  of 
ostracion  peculiar  to  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Indian  Ocean  ;  some 
orange  lucinee  with  rounded  shells  :  rock-fish  three  feet  and  a 
half  long,  which  raised  themselves  under  the  waves  like  hands 
ready  to  seize  one.  There  were  also  some  panopyres,  slightly 
luminous ;  and  lastly,  some  oculines,  like  magnificent  fans,  form¬ 
ing  one  of  the  richest  vegetations  of  these  seas. 

In  the  midst  of  these  living  plants,  and  under  the  arbors  of 
the  hydrophytes,  were  layers  of  clumsy  articulates,  particularly 
some  raninse,  whose  carapace  formed  a  slightly  rounded  tri¬ 
angle  ;  and  some  horrible-looking  parthenopes. 

At  about  seven  o’clock  we  found  ourselves  at  last  survejing 
the  oyster-banks,  on  which  the  pearl-oysters  are  reproduced  by 
millions. 

Captain  Nemo  pointed  with  his  hand  to  the  enormous  heap  of 
oysters  ;  and  I  could  well  understand  that  this  mine  was  inex¬ 
haustible,  for  nature’s  creative  power  is  far  beyond  man’s  in¬ 
stinct  of  destruction.  Ned  Land,  faithful  to  his  instmct,  has¬ 
tened  to  fill  a  net  which  he  carried  by  his  side  with  some  of  the 
finest  specimens.  But  we  could  not  stop.  We  must  follow  the 
captain,  who  seemed  to  guide  himself  by  paths  known  only  to 
himself.  The  ground  was  sensibly  rising,  and  sometimes,  on 
holding  up  my  arm,  it  was  above  the  surface  of  the  sea.  Then 
the  level  of  the  bank  would  sink  capriciously.  Often  we  rounded 
high  rocks  scarped  into  pyramids.  In  their  dark  fractures  huge 
Crustacea,  perched  upon  their  high  claws  like  some  war-machine, 
watched  us  with  fixed  eyes,  and  under  om’  feet  crawled  various 
kinds  of  ann  elides. 

At  this  moment  there  opened  before  us  a  large  grotto,  dug 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  I-EAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS  18] 


in  a  picturesque  heap  of  rocks,  and  carpeted  with  all  the  thick 
warp  of  the  submarine  flora.  At  first  it  seemed  very  dark  to  me. 
The  solar  rays  seeined  to  be  extinguished  by  successive  grada¬ 
tions,  until  its  vague  transparency  became  nothing  more  than 
drowned  light.  Captain  Nemo  entered;  we  followed.  My  eyes 
soon  accustomed  themselves  to  this  relative  state  of  darkness. 
I  could  distinguish  the  arches  springing  capriciously  from 
natural  pillars,  standing  broad  upon  their  granite  base,  like  the 
heavy  columns  of  Tuscan  architecture.  Why  had  our  incom¬ 
prehensible  guide  led  us  to  the  bottom  of  this  submarine  cr}q)t? 
I  was  soon  to  know.  After  descending  a  rather  sharp  declivity, 
our  feet  trod  the  bottom  of  a  kind  of  circular  pit.  There  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  stopped,  and  with  his  hand  indicated  an  object  I 
had  not  yet  perceived.  It  was  an  oyster  of  extraordinaiy 
dimensions,  a  gigantic  tridacne,  a  goblet  which  could  have  con¬ 
tained  a  whole  lake  of  holy  water,  a  basin  the  breadth  of  which 
was  more  than  two  yards  and  a  half,  and  consequently  larger 
than  that  ornamenting  the  saloon  of  the  Nautilus.  I  approached 
this  extraordinary  mollusc.  It  adhered  by  its  byssus  to  a  table 
of  granite,  and  there,  isolated,  it  developed  itself  in  the  calm 
waters  of  the  grotto.  I  estimated  the  weight  of  this  tridacne  at 
600  pounds.  Such  an  oyster  would  contain  thirty  pounds  of 
meat;  and  one  must  have  the  stomach  of  a  Gargantua,  to  de¬ 
molish  some  dozens  of  them. 

Captain  Nemo  was  evidently  acquainted  with  the  existence  of 
this  bivalve,  and  seemed  to  have  a  particular  motive  in  verifying 
the  actual  state  of  tliis  tridacne.  The  shells  were  a  little  open ; 
the  captain  came  near,  and  put  his  dagger  between  them  to  pre¬ 
vent  them  from  closing;  then  with  his  hand  he  raised  the  mem¬ 
brane  with  its  fringed  edges,  which  formed  a  cloak  for  the 
creature.  There,  between  the  folded  plaits,  I  saw  a  loose  pearl, 
whose  size  equalled  that  of  a  cocoanut.  Its  globular  shape,  per¬ 
fect  clearness,  and  admirable  lustre,  made  it  altogether  a  jewel 
of  inestimable  value.  Carried  away  by  my  curiosity  I  stretched 
out  my  hand  to  seize  it,  weigh  it,  and  touch  it;  but  the  captain 
stopped  me,  made  a  sign  of  refusal,  and  quickly  withdrew  his 
dagger,  and  the  two  shells  closed  suddenly.  I  then  understood 
Captain  Nemo’s  intention.  In  leaving  this  pearl  hidden  in  the 


182  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UI'nJER,  THE  SEAS. 

mantle  of  the  tridacne,  he  was  allowing  it  to  grow  slowly.  Each 
year  the  secretions  of  the  mollusc  would  add  new  concentric 
circles.  I  estimated  its  value  at  £500,000  at  least. 

After  ten  minutes  Captain  Nemo  stopped  suddenly.  I  thought 
he  had  halted  previously  to  returning.  No;  hy  a  gesture  he 
bade  us  crouch  beside  him  in  a  deep  fracture  of  the  rock,  his 
hand  pointed  to  one  part  of  the  liquid  mass,  which  I  watched 
attentively. 

About  five  yards  from  me  a  shadow  appeared,  and  sank  to  the 
ground.  The  disquieting  idea  of  sharks  shot  through  my  mind, 
but  I  was  mistaken;  and  once  again  it  was  not  a  monster  of  the 
ocean  that  w'e  had  anytliing  to  do  with. 

It  was  a  man,  a  living  man,  an  Indian,  a  fisherman,  a  poor 
devil,  who,  I  suppose,  had  come  to  glean  before  the  harvest.  I 
could  see  the  bottom  of  his  canoe  anchored  some  feet  above  his 
head.  He  dived  and  went  up  successively.  A  stone  held  be¬ 
tween  his  feet,  cut  in  the  shape  of  a  sugar-loaf,  whilst  a  rope 
fastened  him  to  his  boat,  helped  him  to  descend  more  rapidly. 
This  was  all  his  apparatus.  Reaching  the  bottom  about  five 
yards  deep,  he  went  on  his  knees  and  filled  his  bag  with  oysters 
picked  up  at  random.  Then  he  went  up,  emptied  it,  pulled  up 
his  stone,  and  began  the  operation  once  more,  which  lasted 
thirty  seconds. 

The  diver  did  not  see  us.  The  shadow  of  the  rock  hid  us  from 
sight  x4.nd  how  should  this  poor  Indian  ever  dream  that  men, 
beings  like  himself,  should  oe  there  under  the  water  watching 
his  movements,  and  losing  no  detail  of  the  fishing  ?  Several 
times  he  went  up  in  this  way,  and  dived  again.  He  did  not 
carry  away  more  than  ten  at  each  plunge,  for  he  was  obliged  to 
pull  them  from  the  bank  to  which  they  adhered  by  means  of 
their  strong  byssus.  And  how  many  of  those  oysters  for  which 
he  risked  his  life  had  no  pearl  in  them !  I  watched  him  closely: 
his  manoeuvres  were  regular,  and,  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour, 
no  danger  appeared  to  threaten  him. 

I  was  beginning  to  accustom  myself  to  the  sight  of  this  inter¬ 
esting  fishing,  when  suddenly,  as  the  Indian  was  on  the  ground, 
I  saw  him  make  a  gesture  of  terror,  rise,  and  malre  a  spring  to 
’'eturii  to  the  surface  of  the  sea. 


/ 


TWENlY  a?nOtJSAN]C)  LEAGUES  UKDElt  THE  SEAS. 


I  understood  his  dread.  A  gigantic  shadow  appeared  just 
above  the  unfortunate  diver.  It  was  a  shark  of  enormous  size 
advancing  diagonally,  his  eyes  on  fire,  and  his  jaws  open.  I 
was  mute  with  horror,  and  unable  to  move. 

The  voracious  creatm’e  shot  towards  the  Indian,  who  threw 
himself  on  one  side  in  order  to  avoid  the  shark’s  fins;  but 
not  its  tail,  for  it  struck  his  chest,  and  stretched  him  on  the 
ground. 

This  scene  lasted  but  a  few  seconds;  the  shark  returned, 
and,  turning  on  his  back,  prepared  himself  for  cutting 
the  Indian  in  two,  when  I  saw  Captain  Nemo  rise  suddenly, 
and  then,  dagger  in  hand,  walk  straight  to  the  monster,  ready 
to  fight  face  to  face  with  him.  The  very  moment  the  shark 
was  going  to  snap  the  unhappy  fisherman  in  two,  he  per¬ 
ceived  his  new  adversary,  and,  turning  over,  made  straight 
towards  him. 

I  can  still  see  Captain  Neino’s  position.  Holding  himself 
well  together,  he  waited  for  the  shark  with  admirable  coolness; 
and,  when  it  rushed  at  him,  threw  himself  on  one  side  with 
wonderful  quickness,  avoiding  the  shock,  and  burying  his  dag¬ 
ger  deep  into  its  side.  But  it  was  not  all  over.  A  terrible  com¬ 
bat  ensued. 

The  shark  had  seemed  to  roar,  if  I  might  say  so.  The  blood 
rushed  in  torrents  from  its  w'ound.  The  sea  was  dyed  red,  and 
through  the  opaque  liquid  I  could  distinguish  nothing  more. 
Nothing  more,  until  the  moment  when,  like  lightning,  I  saw 
the  undaunted  captain  hanging  on  to  one  of  the  creature’s  fins, 
struggling,  as  it  were,  hand  to  hand  with  the  monster,  and 
dealing  successive  blows  at  his  enemy,  yet  still  unable  to  give  a 
decisive  one. 

The  shark’s  struggles  agitated  the  water  with  such  fury  that 
the  rocking  threatened  to  upset  me. 

I  w'anted  to  go  to  the  captain’s  assistance,  but,  nailed  to  the 
spot  with  horror,  I  could  not  stir. 

I  saw  the  haggard  eye;  I  saw  the  different  phases  of  the 
fight.  The  captain  fell  to  the  earth,  upset  by  the  enormous 
mass  which  leant  upon  him.  The  shark’s  jaws  opened  wide, 
like  a  pair  of  factory  shears,  and  it  would  have  been  all  over 


184  TWENTY  THOir.UND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

with  the  captain;  bat,  quick  as  thought,  harpoon  in  hand  Ned 
Land  rushed  towards  the  shark  and  struck  it  with  its  sharp 
point. 

The  waves  were  impregnated  with  amass  of  blood.  They 
rocked  under  the  shark’s  movements,  which  beat  them  with  in¬ 
describable  fury.  Ned  Land  had  not  misied  his  aim.  It  was  the 
monster’s  death-rattle.  Struck  to  the  heart,  it  struggled  in 
dreadful  convulsions,  the  shock  of  which  overthrew  Conseil. 

But  Ned  Land  had  disentangled  the  captain,  who,  getting  up 
without  any  wound,  went  straight  to  the  Indian,  quickly  cut 
the  cord  which  held  him  to  his  stone,  took  him  in  his  arms, 
and,  with  a  sharp  blow  of  his  heel,  mounted  to  the  surface. 

We  all  three  followed  in  a  few  seconds,  saved  by  a  miracle, 
and  reached  the  fisherman’s  boat. 

Captain  Nemo’s  first  care  was  to  recall  the  unfortunate  man 
to  life  again.  I  did  not  think  he  could  succeed.  I  hoped  so, 
for  the  poor  creature’s  immersion  was  not  long;  but  the  blow 
from  the  shark’s  tail  might  have  been  his  death-blow. 

Happily,  with  the  captain’s  and  Conseil’s  sharp  friction,  I  saw 
consciousness  return  by  degrees.  He  opened  his  eyes.  What 
was  his  surprise,  his  terror  even,  at  seeing  four  great  copper 
heads  leaning  over  him  !  And,  above  all,  what  must  he  have 
thought  when  Captain  Nemo,  drawing  from  the  pocket  of  his 
dress  a  bag  of  pearls,  placed  it  m  his  hand  !  This  munificent 
charity  from  the  man  of  the  waters  to  the  poor  Cingalese  was 
accepted  with  a  trembling  hand.  His  wondering  eyes  showed 
that  he  loiew  not  to  what  superhuman  beings  he  owed  both 
fortune  and  life. 

At  a  sign  from  the  captain  we  regained  the  bank,  and  fol¬ 
lowing  the  road  already  traversed,  came  in  about  half  an 
hour  to  the  anchor  which  held  the  canoe  of  the  Nautilus  to  the 
earth. 

Once  on  board,  we  each,  with  the  help  of  the  sailors,  got  rid 
of  the  heavy  copper  helmet. 

Captain  Nemo’s  first  word  was  to  the  Canadian. 

“  Thank  you.  Master  Land,”  said  he. 

“  It  was  in  revenge.  Captain,”  replied  Ned  Land.  “  I  owed 
you  that.” 


twenty  thousand  leagues  under  ti:e  seas.  185 


A  ghastly  smile  passed  across  the  captain’s  lips,  and  that  waa 
all. 

“  To  the  Nautilus,”  said  he. 

The  boat  flew  over  the  waves.  Some  minutes  after,  we  met 
the  shark’s  dead  body  floating.  By  the  black  marking  of  the 
extremity  of  its  fins,  I  recognized  the  terrible  melanopteron  of 
the  Indian  Seas,  of  the  species  of  shark  properly  so  called.  It 
was  more  than  twenty-five  feet  long;  its  enormous  mouth 
occupied  one  third  of  its  body.  It  was  an  adult,  as  was  known 
by  its  six  rows  of  teeth  placed  in  an  isosceles  triangle  in  the 
upper  jaw. 

Conseil  looked  at  it  with  scientific  interest,  and  I  am  sure  that 
he  placed  it,  and  not  without  reason,  in  the  cartilaginous  class 
of  the  chondropterygian  order,  with  fixed  gills,  of  the  selaciaii 
family,  in  the  genus  of  the  sharks. 

Whilst  I  was  contemplating  this  inert  mass,  a  dozen  of  these 
voracious  beasts  appeared  round  the  boat;  and,  without  notic¬ 
ing  us,  threw  them.selves  upon  the  dead  body  and  fought  with 
one  another  for  the  pieces. 

At  half  past  eight  we  were  again  on  board  the  Nautilus.  There 
I  reflected  on  the  incidents  which  had  taken  place  in  our  excur¬ 
sion  to  the  Manaar  Bank. 

Two  conclusions  I  must  inevitably  draw  from  it,— one  bearing 
upon  the  unparalleled  courage  of  Captain  Nemo,  the  other  upon 
his  devotion  to  a  human  being,  a  representative  of  that  race  from 
which  he  fled  beneath  the  seas.  Whatever  he  might  say,  this 
strange  man  had  not  yet  succeeded  in  entirely  crushing  his 
heart. 

Wlien  I  made  this  observation  to  him,  he  answered  in  a  slightly 
moved  tone,— 

“That  Indian,  sir,  is  an  inhabitant  of  an  oppressed  country; 
and  I  am  still,  and  shall  be,  to  my  last  breath,  one  of  them  I  ” 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  RED  SEA. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  of  the  29th  of  January,  the  Island  of 
Ceylon  disappeared  under  the  horizon,  and  the  Nautilus,  at  » 
speed  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  slid  into  the  labyrinth  of  canals 
which  separate  the  Maldives  from  the  Laccadives.  It  coasted 
even  the  Island  of  Kiltan,  a  land  originally  madreporic,  dis¬ 
covered  by  Vasco  de  Gama  in  1499,  and  one  of  the  nineteen 
principal  islands  of  the  Laccadive  Ai’chipelago,  situated  between 
lO"  and  14*  30’  north  latitude,  and  69"  50  72  "  east  longitude. 

We  had  made  16,220  miles,  or  7,500  (French)  leagues  from  our 
starting-point  in  the  Japanese  Seas. 

The  next  day  (30th  January),  when  the  Nautilus  went  to  the 
surface  of  the  ocean,  there  was  no  land  in  sight.  Its  course  was 
N.N.E.,  in  the  direction  of  the  Sea  of  Oman,  between  Arabia  and 
the  Indian  Peninsula,  which  serves  as  an  outlet  to  the  Persian 
Gulf.  It  was  evidently  a  block  without  any  possible  egress.^ 
Where  was  Captain  Nemo  taking  us  to?  I  could  not  say.  This, 
however,  did  not  satisfy  the  Canadian,  who  that  day  came  to  me 
asking  where  we  were  going. 

“We  are  going  v/here  our  captain’s  fancy  takes  us.  Master 
Ned.” 

“  His  fancy  can  not  take  us  far,  then,”  said  the  Canadian. 
“The  Persian  Gulf  has  no  outlet;  and  if  we  do  go  in,  it  will  not 
be  long  before  we  are  out  again.” 

“Very 'well,  then,  we  will  come  out  again,  Master  Land;  and 
if  after  the  Persian  Gulf  the  Nautilus  would  like  to  visit  the  Red 
Sea,  the  Straits  of  Bab-el-mandeb  are  there  to  give  us  entrance.” 

“  I  need  not  tell  you,  sir,”  said  Ned  Land,  “  that  the  Red  Sea  is 
as  much  closed  as  the  Gulf,  as  the  Isthmus  of  Suez  is  not  yet  cut; 

188 


I'WENTY  TflOUSAND  LLAGtJES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  18t 


and  if  it  was,  a  boat  as  mysterious  as  ours  would  not  risk  itself 
in  a  canal  cut  with  sluices.  And  again,  the  Red  Sea  is  not  the 
road  to  take  us  back  to  Europe.” 

“But  I  never  said  we  were  going  back  to  Europe.” 

“What do  you  suppose,  then?” 

“I  suppose  that,  after  visiting  the  curious  coasts  of  Arabia  and 
Egypt,  the  Nautilus  will  go  down  the  Indian  Ocean  again,  per¬ 
haps  cross  the  Channel  of  Mozambique,  perhaps  off  the  Mascar- 
enhas,  so  as  to  gain  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.” 

“And  once  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope?”  asked  the  Canadian, 
with  peculiar  emphasis. 

“  V/ell,  we  shall  penetrate  into  that  Atlantic  which  we  do  not 
yet  know.  Ah !  friend  Ned,  you  are  getting  tired  of  this  journey 
under  the  sea;  you  are  surfeited  with  the  incessantly  varying 
spectacle  of  submarine  wonders.  For  my  part,  I  shall  be  sorry 
to  see  the  end  of  a  voyage  which  it  is  given  to  so  few  men  to 
make.” 

For  four  days,  till  the  3d  of  February,  the  Nautilus  scoured 
the  Sea  of  Oman,  at  various  speeds  and  at  various  depths.  It 
seemed  to  go  at  random,  as  if  hesitating  as  to  which  road  it 
should  follow,  but  we  never  passed  the  Tropic  of  Cancer. 

In  quitting  this  sea  we  sighted  Muscat  for  an  instant,  one  of 
the  most  important  towns  of  the  country  of  Oman.  I  admired 
its  strange  aspect,  surrounded  by  black  rocks  upon  which  its 
white  houses  and  forts  stood  in  relief.  I  saw  tlie  rounded  domes 
of  its  mosques,  the  elegant  points  of  its  minarets,  its  fresh  and 
verdant  terraces.  But  it  was  only  a  vision!  the  Nautilus  soon 
sank  under  the  waves  of  that  part  of  the  sea. 

We  passed  along  the  Arabian  coast  of  Mahrah  and  Hadra- 
maut,  for  h  distance  of  six  miles,  its  undulating  line  of  moun¬ 
tains  being  occasionally  relieved  by  some  ancient  ruin.  The  5th 
of  February  we  at  last  entered  the  Gulf  of  Aden,  a  perfect 
funnel  introduced  into  the  neck  of  Bab-el-mandeb,  through 
which  the  Indian  waters  entered  the  Red  Sea. 

The  6th  of  February,  the  Nautilus  floated  in  sight  of  Aden, 
perched  upon  a  promontory  which  a  narrow  isthmus  joins  to 
the  mainland,  a  kind  of  inaccessible  Gibraltar,  the  fortificatiojis 
of  which  were  rebuilt  by  the  English  after  taking  possession  in 


188  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER,  THE  SEAS, 

1839.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  octagon  minarets  of  this  town, 
which  was  at  one  time,  according  to  the  historian  Edrisi,  the 
richest  commercial  magazine  on  the  coast. 

I  certainly  thought  that  Captain  Nemo,  arrived  at  this  point, 
would  back  out  again;  but  I  was  mistaken,  for  he  did  no  such 
thing,  much  to  my  surprise. 

The  next  day,  the  7th  of  February,  we  entered  the  Straits  of 
Bab-el-mandeb,  the  name  of  which,  in  the  Arab  tongue,  means 
“  The  gate  of  tears.” 

To  twenty  miles  in  breadth,  it  is  only  thirty -two  in  length. 
And  for  the  Nautilus,  starting  at  fuU  speed,  the  crossing  was 
scarcely  the  work  of  an  hour.  But  I  saw  nothing,  not  even  the 
island  of  Perim,  with  which  the  British  government  has  fortified 
the  position  of  Aden.  There  were  too  many  English  or  French 
steamers  of  the  line  of  Suez  to  Bombay,  Calcutta  to  Melbourne, 
and  from  Bourbon  to  the  Mamitius,  furrowing  this  narrow  pas¬ 
sage,  for  the  Nautilus  to  venture  to  show  itself.  So  it  remained 
prudently  below.  At  last,  about  noon,  we  were  in  the  waters 
of  the  Red  Sea. 

I  would  not  even  seek  to  understand  the  caprice  which  had 
decided  Captain  Nemo  upon  entering  the  gulf.  But  I  quite  ap¬ 
proved  of  the  Nautilus  entering  it.  Its  speed  was  lessoned; 
sometimes  it  kept  on  the  surface,  sometimes  it  dived  to  avoid  a 
vessel,  and  thus  I  was  able  to  observe  the  upper  and  lower  parts 
of  this  curious  sea. 

The  8th  of  February,  from  the  ilrst  dawn  of  day.  Mocha  came 
in  sight,  now  a  ruined  town,  whose  walls  would  fall  at  a  gun¬ 
shot,  yet  which  shelters  here  and  there  some  verdant  date-trees; 
once  an  important  city,  containing  six  public  markets,  and 
twenty -six  mosques,  and  whose  walls,  defended  by  fourteen 
forts,  formed  a  girdle  of  two  miles  in  circumference. 

The  Nautilus  then  approached  the  African  shore,  where  the 
depth  of  the  sea  was  greater.  There,  between  4wo  waters  clear 
as  crystal,  through  the  open  panels  we  were  allowed  to  contem¬ 
plate  the  beautiful  bushes  of  brilliant  coral,  and  large  blocks  of 
rock  clothed  with  a  splendid  fur  of  green  algse  and  fuci.  What 
an  indescribable  spectacle,  and  what  variety  of  sights  and  land¬ 
scapes,  along  these  sand-banks  and  volcamc  islands  which 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  18D 


bound  the  Lybian  coast !  But  where  these  shrubs  appeared  in 
all  their  beauty  was  on  the  eastern  coast,  which  the  Nautilus 
soon  gained.  It  was  on  the  coast  of  Tehama,  for  there  not  only 
did  this  display  of  zoophytes  flourish  beneath  the  level  of  the 
sea,  but  they  also  formed  picturesque  interlacings  which  un¬ 
folded  themselves  about  sixty  feet  above  the  surface,  more  capri¬ 
cious  but  less  highly  colored  than  those  whose  freshness  was 
kept  up  by  the  vital  power  of  the  waters. 

What  charming  hours  I  passed  thus  at  the  window  of  the 
saloon !  What  new  specimens  of  submarine  flora  and  fauna 
did  I  admire  under  the  brightness  of  our  electric  lantern  ! 

There  grew  sponges  of  all  shapes,  pediculated,  foliated,  glob¬ 
ular,  and  digital.  They  certainly  justified  the  names  of  baskets, 
cups,  distaffs,  elk’s-horns,  lion’s-feet,  peacock’s-tails,  and  Nep- 
tune’s-gloves,  which  have  been  given  to  them  by  the  fisher¬ 
men,  greater  poets  than  the  savants. 

Other  zoophytes  wliich  multiply  near  the  sponges  consist 
principally  of  medusse  of  a  most  elegant  kind.  The  molluscs 
were  represented  by  varieties  of  the  calmar  (which,  according 
to  Orbigny,  are  peculiar  to  the  Red  Sea);  and  reptiles  by  the 
virgata  turtle,  of  the  genus  of  cheloniee,  which  furnished  a 
wholesome  and  delicate  food  for  our  table. 

As  to  the  fish,  they  were  abundant,  and  often  remarkable. 
The  following  are  those  which  the  nets  of  the  Nautilus  brought 
more  frequently  on  board:— 

Rays  of  a  red-brick  color,  with  bodies  marked  with  blue  spots, 
and  easily  recognizable  by  their  double  spikes;  some  superb  car- 
anxes,  marked  with  seven  transverse  bands  of  jet-black,  blue  and 
yellow  fins,  and  gold  and  silver  scales;  mullets  with  yellow 
heads;  gobies,  and  a  thousand  other  species,  common  to  the 
ocean  which  we  had  just  traversed. 

The  9th  of  February,  the  Nautilus  floated  in  the  broadest  part 
of  the  Red  Sea,  which  is  comprised  between  Souakin  on  the 
west  coast,  and  Koomfidah,  on  the  east  coast,  with  a  diameter  of 
ninety  miles. 

That  day  at  noon,  after  the  bearings  were  taken.  Captain  Nemo 
mounted  the  platform,  where  I  happened  to  be,  and  I  was  de¬ 
termined  not  to  let  him  go  down  again  without  at  least  pressing 


lOo  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

him  regarding  his  ulterior  projects.  As  soon  as  he  saw  me  he 
approached,  and  graciously  offered  me  a  cigar. 

“  Well,  sir,  does  this  Red  Sea  please  you?  Have  you  sufficiently 
observed  the  wonders  it  covers,  its  fishes,  its  zoophytes,  its  par¬ 
terres  of  sponges,  and  its  forests  of  coral?  Did  you  catch  a 
glimpse  of  the  towns  on  its  borders? 

“Yes,  Captain  Nemo,”  I  replied;  “and  the  Nautilus  is  wonder¬ 
fully  fitted  for  such  a  study.  Ah  !  it  is  an  intelligent  boat !  ” 

“  Yes,  sir,  intelligent  and  invuhierable.  It  fears  neither  the 
terrible  tempests  of  the  Red  Sea,  nor  its  currents,  nor  its  sand¬ 
banks.” 

“  Certainly,”  said  I,  “  this  sea  is  quoted  as  one  of  the  worst, 
{ind  in  the  time  of  the  ancients,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  its  repu- 
^tion  was  detestable.” 

“  Detestable,  M.  Aronnax.  The  Greek  and  Latin  historians  do 
not  speak  favorably  of  it,  and  Strabo  says  it  is  very  dangerous 
during  the  Etesian  winds,  and  in  the  rainy  seasons.  The  Arabian 
Edrisi  portrays  it  under  the  name  of  the  Gulf  of  Colzoum,  and 
relates  that  vessels  perished  there  iti  great  numbers  on  the  sand¬ 
banks,  and  that  no  one  would  risk  sailing  in  the  night.  It  is,  he 
pretends,  a  sea  subject  to  fearful  hurricanes,  strewn  with  in¬ 
hospitable  islands,  and  ‘  which  offers  notliing  good  either  on  its 
surface  or  in  its  depths.’  Such,  too,  is  the  opinion  of  Arrian, 
Agatharcides,  and  Artemldorus.” 

“One  may  see,”  I  replied,  “that  these  liistorians  never  sailed 
on  board  the  Nautilus.” 

“Just  so,”  replied  the  captain,  smiling,  “and  in  that  respect 
moderns  are  not  more  advanced  than  the  ancients.  It  required 
many  ages  to  find  out  the  mechanical  power  of  steam.  Wlio 
knows  if,  in  another  hundred  years,  we  may  not  see  a  second 
Nautilus?  Progress  is  slow,  M.  Aronnax.” 

“It  is  true,”  I  answered;  “your  boat  is  at  least  a  century 
before  its  time,  perhaps  an  era.  Wliat  a  misfortune  that  th« 
secret  of  such  an  invention  should  die  with  its  inventor !  ” 

Captain  Nemo  did  not  reply.  After  some  minutes’  silence  he 
continued,— 

“You  were  speaking  of  the  opinions  of  ancienf  historian 
upon  the  dangerous  navigation  of  the  Red  Sea.” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  191 


“It  is  true,”  said  I;  “but  were  not  their  fears  exaggerated  ? ” 

“  Yes  and  no,  M.  Axonnax,”  replied  Captain  Nemo,  wlio  seemed 
to  know  the  Red  Sea  by  heart.  “  That  wliich  is  no  longer  dan¬ 
gerous  for  a  modem  vessel,  well  rigged,  strongly  built,  and 
master  of  its  own  course,  thanks  to  obedient  steam,  offered  all 
sorts  of  perils  to  the  ships  of  the  ancients.  Picture  to  yourself 
those  first  navigators  venturing  in  ships  made  of  planks  sewn 
with  the  cords  of  the  palm-tree,  saturated  with  the  grease  of  the 
sea-dog,  and  covered  with  powdered  resin!  They  had  not  even  in¬ 
struments  wherewith  to  take  their  bearings,  and  they  went  by 
guess  amongst  currents  of  which  they  scarcely  knew  anything. 
Under  such  conditions  shipwrecks  were,  and  must  have  been, 
numerous.  But  in  our  time,  steamers  mnning  between  Suez 
and  the  South  Seas  have  nothing  more  to  fear  from  the  fury  of 
this  gulf,  in  spite  of  contrary  trade-winds.  The  captain  and 
passengers  do  not  prepare  for  their  departure  by  offering  pro¬ 
pitiatory  sacrifices;  and,  on  their  return,  they  no  longer  go 
ornamented  with  wreaths  and  gilt  fillets  to  thank  the  gods  in 
the  neighboring  temple.” 

“I  agree  with  jw,”  said  I,  “and  steam  seems  to  have  killed 
all  gratitude  in  the  hearts  of  sailors.  But,  Captain,  since  you 
seem  to  have  especially  studied  this  sea,  can  you  tell  me  the 
origin  of  its  name  ?  ” 

“  There  exist  several  explanations  on  the  subject,  M.  Aron- 
nax.  Would  you  like  to  know  the  opinion  of  a  chronicler  of 
the  fourteenth  century  ?  ”  “  Willingly.” 

“This  fanciful  writer  pretends  that  its  name  was  given  to  it 
after  the  passage  of  the  Israelites,  when  Pharaoh  perished  in 
the  waves  which  closed  at  the  voice  of  Moses.” 

“A  poet’s  explanation.  Captain  Nemo,”  I  replied;  “but  i 
can  not  content  myself  with  that.  I  ask  you  for  your  personal 
opinion.” 

“  Here  it  is,  M.  Aronnax.  According  to  my  idea  we  must  see 
in  this  appellation  of  the  Red  Sea  a  translation  of  the  Hebrew 
word  ‘  Edom’,  and  if  the  ancients  gave  it  that  name,  it  was  on 
account  of  the  particular  color  of  its  waters.” 

“  But  up  to  this  time  I  have  seen  nothing  but  transparent 
waves  and  without  any  narticular  color.” 


l93  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“Very  likely;  but  as  we  advance  to  the  bottom  of  the  gulf, 
you  will  see  this  singular  appearance.  I  remember  seehig  the 
Bay  of  Tor  entirely  red,  hke  a  sea  of  blood.” 

“And  you  attribute  this  color  to  the  presence  of  a  microscopic 
sea-weed  ?  ” 

“Yes;  it  is  a  mucilaginous  purple  matter,  produced  by  the 
restless  little  plants  known  by  the  name  of  trichodesmia,  and 
of  which  it  requires  40,000  to  occupy  the  space  of  a  square 
.04  of  an  inch.  Perhaps  we  shall  meet  some  when  we  get  to 
Tor.” 

“  So,  Captain  Nemo,  it  is  not  the  first  time  you  have  overrun 
tlie  Red  Sea  on  board  the  Nautilus  ?  ”  “No,  sir.” 

“As  you  spoke  a  while  ago  of  the  passage  of  the  Israelites, 
and  of  the  catastrophe  to  the  Egyptians,  I  will  ask  whether 
you  have  met  with  traces  under  the  water  of  tiiis  great  liistorical 
fact?” 

“No,  sir;  and  for  a  very  good  reason.” 

“What  is  it?” 

“  It  is,  that  the  spot  where  Moses  and  his  people  passed  is  now 
so  blocked  up  with  sand,  that  the  camels  can  barely  bathe  their 
legs  there.  You  can  well  understand  that  there  would  not  be 
water  enough  for  my  Nautilus.” 

“  And  the  spot  ?  ”  I  asked. 

“The  spot  is  situated  a  little  above  the  Isthmus  of  Suez,  in 
the  arm  wliich  formerly  made  a  deep  estuary,  when  the  Red 
Sea  extended  to  the  Salt  Lakes.  Now,  whether  this  passage 
were  miraculous  or  not,  the  Israelites,  nevertheless,  crossed 
there  to  reach  the  Promised  Land,  and  Pharaoh’s  army  per¬ 
ished  precisely  on  that  spot;  and  I  think  that  excavations  made 
in  the  middle  of  the  sand  would  bring  to  light  a  large  number 
of  arms  and  instruments  of  Egji)tian  origin.” 

“That  is  evident,”  I  replied;  “ and  for  the  sake  of  archseolo- 
gists  let  us  hope  that  these  excavations  will  be  made  sooner  or 
later,  when  new  towns  are  established  on  the  isthmus,  after  the 
construction  of  the  Suez  Canal ;  a  canal,  however,  very  useless 
to  a  vessel  like  the  Nautilus.” 

“Very  likely;  but  useful  to  the  whole  world,”  said  Captaiu 
Nemo.  “The  ancients  well  understood  the  utility  of  a  com- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  193 


tnunication  between  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Mediterranean  for 
their  commercial  affairs;  but  they  did  not  think  of  digging  a 
canal  direct,  and  took  the  Nile  as  an  intermediate.  Very  prob¬ 
ably  the  canal  which  united  the  Nile  to  the  Red  Sea  was  begun 
by  Sesostris,  if  we  may  believe  tradition.  One  thing  is  certain, 
that  in  the  year  615  before  Jesus  Christ,  Necos  undertook  the 
works  of  an  ahmentary  canal  to  the  waters  of  the  Nile,  across 
the  plain  of  Egypt,  looking  towards  Arabia.  It  took  four  days 
to  go  up  this  canal,  and  it  was  so  wide  that  two  trii ernes  could 
go  abreast.  It  was  carried  on  by  Darius,  the  son  of  Hystaspes, 
and  probably  finished  by  Ptolemy  II.  Strabo  saw  it  navigated; 
but  its  decline  from  the  point  of  departure,  near  Bubastes,  to 
the  Red  Sea  was  so  slight,  that  it  was  only  navigable  for  a  few 
months  in  the  year.  This  canal  answered  all  commercial  pur¬ 
poses  to  the  age  of  Antoninus,  when  it  was  abandoned  and 
blocked  up  with  sand.  Restored  by  order  of  the  Caliph  Omar, 
it  was  definitively  destroyed  in  761  or  762  by  Caliph  Al-Mansor, 
who  wished  to  prevent  the  arrival  of  provisions  to  Mohammed- 
ben-Abdallah,  who  had  revolted  against  him.  During  the  expe¬ 
dition  mto  Eg}!)!,  your  General  Bonaparte  discovered  traces  of 
the  works  in  the  Desert  of  Suez;  and,  surprised  by  the  tide,  he 
nearly  perished  before  regaining  Hadjaroth,  at  the  very  place 
where  Moses  had  encamped  three  thousand  years  before  him.” 

“  Well,  Captain,  what  the  ancients  dared  not  undertake,  this 
junction  between  the  two  seas,  which  will  shorten  the  road 
from  Cadiz  to  India,  M.  Lesseps  has  succeeded  in  doing;  and 
before  long  he  will  have  changed  Africa  into  an  immense 
island.” 

“Yes,  M.  Aronnax;  you  have  the  right  to  be  proud  of  your 
countryman.  Such  a  man  brings  more  honor  to  a  nation  than 
great  captains.  He  began,  like  so  many  others,  with  disgust 
and  rebuffs;  but  he  has  triumphed,  for  he  has  the  genius  of 
will.  And  it  is  sad  to  think  that  a  work  like  that,  which  ought 
to  have  been  an  international  work,  and  which  would  have 
sufficed  to  make  a  reign  illustrious,  should  'have  succeeded  by 
the  energy  of  one  man.  All  honor  to  M.  Lesseps  !” 

“  Yes,  honor  to  the  great  citizen  !”  I  replied,  surprised  by  the 
manner  in  which  Captain  Nemo  had  just  spoken. 

14 


194  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

s. 

“Unfortunately,”  he  continued,  “I  can  not  take  you  through 
the  Suez  Canal;  hut  you  will  be  able  to  see  the  long  jetty  of  Port 
Said  after  to-morrow,  when  we  shall  be  in  the  Mediterranean.” 

“The  Mediterranean!”  I  exclaimed. 

“Yes,  sir;  does  that  astonish  you?” 

“  What  astonishes  me  is  to  think  that  we  shall  be  there  the  day 
after  to-morrow.” 

“Indeed?” 

“  Yes,  Captain,  although  by  this  time  I  ought  to  have  accus¬ 
tomed  myself  to  be  sm’prised  at  nothing  since  I  have  been  on 
board  your  boat.” 

“But  the  cause  of  this  surprise?” 

“  Well !  it  is  the  fearful  speed  you  will  have  to  put  on  the 
Nautilus,  if  the  day  after  to-morrow  she  is  to  be  in  the  Mediter¬ 
ranean,  having  made  the  round  of  Africa,  and  doubled  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope !” 

“  Who  told  you  that  she  would  make  the  round  oi  Africa,  and 
double  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  sir?” 

“Well,  unless  the  Nautilus  sails  on  dry  land,  and  passes  above 
the  isthmus  —  ”  “  Or  beneath  it,  M.  Aronnax.”  “  Beneath  it?” 

“Certainly,”  replied  Captain  Nemo,  quietly.  “A  long  time 
ago  nature  made  unaer  this  tongue  of  land  what  man  has  this 
day  made  on  its  surface.” 

“What !  such  a  passage  exists?” 

“Yes;  a  subterranean  passage,  which  I  have  named  the  Ara 
bian  Tunnel.  It  takes  us  beneath  Suez,  and  opens  into  the  G  uli 
of  Pelusium.” 

“  But  this  isthmus  is  composed  of  nothing  but  quicksands?” 

“  To  a  certain  depth.  But  at  fifty-five  yards  only,  there  is  a 
solid  layer  of  rock.” 

“Did  you  discover  this  passage  by  chance?”  I  asked,  more  and 
more  surprised. 

“Chance  and  reasoning,  sir;  and  by  reasoning  even  more 
than  by  chance.  Not  only  does  this  passage  exist,  but  I  have 
profited  by  it  several  times.  Without  that  I  should  not  have 
ventured  this  day  into  the  impassable  Red  Sea.  I  noticed  that 
in  the  Red  Sea  and  in  the  Mediterranean  there  existed  a  certain 
number  of  fishes  of  a  kind  perfectly  identical,— ophidia,  fiatr 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  195 


■),  girelles,  and  exocoeti.  Certain  of  that  fact,  I  asked  myself 
wscA  it  possible  that  tliere  was  no  communication  between  the 
two  seas?  If  there  was,  the  subterranean  current  must  neces¬ 
sarily  run  from  the  Red  Sea  to  the  Mediterranean,  from  the  sole 
cause  of  difference  of  level.  I  caught  a  large  number  of  fishes 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Suez.  I  passed  a  copper  ring  through 
their  tails,  and  threw  them  back  into  the  sea.  Some  months 
later,  on  the  coast  of  Syria,  I  caught  some  of  my  fish  orna¬ 
mented  with  the  ring.  Thus  the  communication  between  the 
two  was  proved.  I  then  sought  for  it  with  my  Nautilus;  I  dis¬ 
covered  it,  ventured  into  it,  and  before  long,  sir,  you  too  will 
have  passed  through  my  Arabian  tunnel  I” 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  ARABIAN  TUNNEL. 

That  same  evening,  in  21*  30  north  latitude,  the  Nautilus 
rioated  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  approaching  the  Arabian  coast. 
I  saw  Djeddah,  the  most  important  counting-house  of  Egypt, 
Syria,  Turkey  and  India.  I  distinguished  clearly  enough  its 
buildings,  the  vessels  anchored  at  the  quays,  and  those  whose 
draught  of  water  obliged  them  to  anchor  in  the  roads.  The  sun, 
rather  low  on  the  horizon,  struck  full  on  the  liouses  of  the  town, 
bringing  out  their  whiteness.  Outside,  some  vv^ooden  cabins, 
and  some  made  of  reeds,  showed  the  quarter  iiihiibited  by  the  Be¬ 
douins.  Soon  Djeddah  was  shut  out  from  view  by  the  shadows 
of  night,  and  the  Nautilus  found  herself  under  water  slightly 
phosphorescent. 

The  next  day,  the  10th  of  February,  we  sighted  several  ships 
running  to  windward.  The  Nautilus  returned  to  its  submarine 
navigation ;  but  at  noon,  when  her  bearings  were  taken,  the  sea 
being  deserted,  she  rose  again  to  her  water-line. 

Accompanied  by  Ned  and  Conseil,  I  seated  myself  on  the  plab 
form.  The  coast  on  the  eastern  side  looked  like  a  mass  faintlj* 
printed  upon  a  damp  fog. 

We  were  leaning  on  the  sides  of  the  pinnace,  talking  of  one 
thing  and  another,  when  Ned  Land,  stretching  out  his  hand  tO' 
ward  a  spot  on  the  sea,  said, — 

“Do  you  see  anything  there,  sir  2” 

“No,  Ned,”  I  replied;  “but  I  have  not  your  eyes,  you 
know.” 

“  Look  well,”  said  Ned,  “  there,  on  the  starboard  beam,  about 
the  height  of  the  lantern  !  Do  you  not  see  a  mass  which  seems 
to  move  ?  ■ 

Djt) 


TWENTY  TfiOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  197 


“  Certainly,”  said  I,  after  close  attention ;  “  I  see  something  like 
a  long  black  body  on  the  top  of  the  water.” 

And  certainly  before  long  the  black  object  was  not  more  than 
a  mile  from  us.  It  looked  like  a  great  sand-bank  deposited  in 
the  open  sea.  It  v/as  a  gigantic  dugong  ! 

Ned  Land  lool  :ed  eagerly.  His  eyes  shone  with  covetousness 
at  the  sight  of  the  animal.  His  hand  seemed  ready  to  harpoon 
it.  One  would  liave  thought  he  was  awaiting  the  moment  to 
tlirow  himself  into  the  sea,  and  attack  it  in  its  element. 

At  this  instant  Captain  Nemo  appeared  on  the  platform.  He 
saw  the  dugong,  understood  the  Canadian’s  attitude,  and  ad¬ 
dressing  him,  said, — 

“If  you  held  a  harpoon  just  now.  Master  Land,  would  it  not 
burn  your  hand  ?  ” 

“Just  so,  sir.” 

“And  you  would  not  be  sorry  to  go  back  for  one  day,  to  your 
trade  of  a  fisherman,  and  to  add  this  cetacean  to  the  list  of 
those  you  have  already  killed  ?  ” 

“  I  should  not,  sir.” 

“Well,  you  can  try.” 

“  Thank  you,  sir,”  said  Ned  Land,  his  eyes  flaming. 

“  Only,”  continued  the  captain,  “  I  advise  you  for  your  own 
sake  not  to  miss  the  creature.” 

“  Is  the  dugong  dangerous  to  attack  ?  ”  I  asked,  in  spite  of  the 
Canadian’s  shrug  of  the  shoulders. 

“Yes,”  replied  the  captain;  “  sometimes  the  animal  turns  upon 
its  assailants  and  overturns  their  boat.  But  for  Master  Land, 
this  danger  is  not  to  be  feared.  His  eye  is  prompt,  his  arm  sure.” 

At  this  moment  seven  men  of  the  crew,  mute  and  immovable 
as  ever,  mounted  the  platform.  One  carried  a  harpoon  and  a 
line  similar  to  those  employed  in  catching  whales.  The  pinnace 
was  lifted  from  the  bridge,  pulled  from  its  socket,  and  let  down 
into  the  sea.  Six  oarsmen  took  their  seats,  and  the  coxswain 
went  to  the  tiller.  Ned,  Conseil,  and  I  went  to  the  back  of  the 
boat. 

“  You  are  not  coming.  Captain  ?  ”  I  asked. 

“No,  sir;  but  I  wish  you  good  sport.” 

The  boat  put  oif,  and  hfted  by  the  six  rowers,  drew  rapidly 


198  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

towards  the  dugong,  which  floated  about  two  miles  from  the 
Nautilus. 

Arrived  some  cables’  length  from  the  catacean,  the  speed 
slackened,  and  the  oars  dipped  noiselessly  into  the  quiet  waters. 
Ned  Land,  harpoon  in  hand,  stood  in  the  fore  part  of  the  boat. 
The  harpoon  used  for  striking  the  whale  is  generally  attached 
to  a  very  long  cord,  which  runs  out  rapidly  as  the  wounded 
creature  draws  it  after  him.  But  here  the  cord  was  not  more 
than  ten  fathoms  long,  and  the  extremity  was  attached  to  a  small 
barrel,  which,  by  floating,  was  to  show  the  course  the  dugong 
took  under  the  water. 

I  stood,  and  carefully  watched  the  Canadian's  adversary. 
This  dugong,  which  also  bears  the  names  of  the  halicore,  closely 
resembles  the  manatee  ;  its  oblong  body  terminated  in  a  length¬ 
ened  tail,  and  its  lateral  fins  in  perfect  fingers.  Its  difference 
from  the  manatee  consisted  in  its  upper  jaw,  which  was  armed 
with  two  long  and  pointed  teeth,  which  formed  on  each  side 
diverging  tusks. 

This  dugong,  which  Ned  Land  was  preparing  to  attack,  was 

% 

of  colossal  dimensions  ;  it  was  more  than  seven  yards  long.  It 
did  not  move,  and  seemed  to  be  sleeping  on  the  waves,  which 
circumstance  made  it  easier  to  capture. 

The  boat  approached  within  six  yards  of  the  animal.  The 
oars  rested  on  the  rowlocks.  I  half  rose.  Ned  Land,  his  body 
thrown  a  httle  back,  brandished  the  harpoon  in  his  experienced 
hand. 

Suddenly  a  hissing  noise  was  heard,  and  the  dugong  disap¬ 
peared.  The  harpoon,  although  thrown  with  great  force,  had 
apparently  only  struck  the  water. 

“  Curse  it !  ”  exclaimed  the  Canadian  furiously ;  “  I  have  missed 
it!” 

“  No,”  said  I ;  “  the  creature  is  wounded,— look  at  the  blood  ; 
but  your  weapon  has  not  stuck  in  his  body.” 

“  My  harpoon !  my  harpoon  !  ”  cried  Ned  Land. 

The  sailors  rowed  on,  and  the  coxswain  made  for  the  floating 
barrel.  The  harpoon  regained,  we  followed  in  pursuit  of  the 
animal. 

The  latter  came  now  and  then  to  the  surface  to  breathe.  Its 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  199 


wound  had  not  weakened  it,  for  it  shot  onwards  with  great 
rapidity. 

The  boat,  rowed  by  strong  arms,  flew  on  its  track.  Several 
times  it  approached  within  some  few  yards,  and  the  Canadian 
was  ready  to  strike,  but  the  dugong  made  off  with  a  sudden 
plunge,  and  it  was  impossible  to  reach  it. 

Imagine  the  passion  which  excited  impatient  Ned  Land !  He 
hurled  at  the  unfortunate  creature  the  most  energetic  expletives 
in  the  English  tongue.  For  my  part  I  was  only  vexed  to  see  the 
dugong  escape  all  our  attacks. 

We  pursued  it  without  relaxation  for  an  hour,  and  I  began  to 
think  it  would  prove  difficult  to  capture,  when  the  animal,  pos¬ 
sessed  with  the  perverse  idea  of  vengeance,  of  which  he  had 
cause  to  repent,  turned  upon  the  pinnace  and  assailed  us  in  its 
turn. 

This  manoeuvre  did  not  escape  the  Canadian. 

“  Look  out !  ’’  ho  cried. 

The  coxswain  said  some  words  in  his  outlandish  tongue, 
doubtless  warning  the  men  to  keep  on  their  guard. 

The  dugong  came  within  twenty  feet  of  the  boat,  stopped, 
sniffed  the  air  briskly  with  its  large  nostrils  (not  pierced  at  the 
extremity,  but  in  the  upper  part  of  its  muzzle).  Then  taking  a 
spring  he  threw  himself  upon  us. 

The  pinnace  could  not  avoid  the  shock,  and  half  upset,  shipped 
at  least  two  tons  of  water,  which  had  to  be  emptied;  but  thanks 
to  the  coxswain,  we  caught  it  sideways,  not  full  front,  so  we 
were  not  quite  overturned.  While  Ned  Land,  clinging  to  the 
bows,  belabored  the  gigantic  animal  with  blows  from  his  har¬ 
poon,  the  creature’s  teeth  were  buried  in  tne  gunwale,  and  it 
lifted  the  whole  thing  out  of  the  water,  as  a  lion  does  a  roebuck. 
We  were  upset  over  one  another,  and  I  know  not  how  the  ad- 
renture  would  have  ended,  if  the  Canadian,  still  enraged  with 
/he  beast,  had  not  struck  it  to  the  heart. 

I  heard  its  teeth  grind  on  the  iron  plate,  and  the  dugong  dis¬ 
appeared,  carrying  the  harpoon  with  him.  But  the  barrel  soon 
returned  to  the  surface,  and  shortly  after  the  body  of  the  ani¬ 
mal,  turned  on  its  back.  The  boat  came  up  with  it,  took  it  In 
tow  and  made  straight  for  tiie  Nautiiuj. 


200  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

It  required  tackle  of  enormous  strength  to  hoist  the  dugong 
on  to  the  platform.  It  weighed  10,000  lbs. 

The  next  day,  February  11th,  the  larder  of  the  Nautilus  was 
enriched  by  some  more  delicate  game.  A  flight  of  sea-swallows 
rested  on  the  Nautilus.  It  was  a  species  of  the  Sterna  nilotica, 
peculiar  to  Egj^pt ;  its  beak  is  black,  head  gray  and  pointed,  the 
eye  surrounded  by  white  spots,  the  back,  wings,  and  tail  of  a 
grayish  color,  the  belly  and  throat  white,  and  claws  red. 
They  also  took  some  dozen  of  Nile  ducks,  a  wild  bird  of  high 
flavor,  its  throat  and  upper  part  of  the  head  white  with  black 
spots. 

About  five  o’clock  in  the  evening  we  sighted  to  the  north  the 
Cape  of  Ras-Mohammed.  This  cape  fonns  the  extremity  of 
Arabia  Petrgea,  comprised  between  the  Gulf  of  Suez  and  the 
Gulf  of  Acabah. 

The  Nautilus  penetrated  into  the  Straits  of  Jubal,  \vhich  leads 
to  the  Gulf  of  Suez.  I  distinctly  saw  a  high  mountam,  tower¬ 
ing  between  the  two  gulfs  of  Ras-Mohammed.  It  was  Mount 
Horeb,  that  Sinai  at  the  top  of  wdiich  Moses  saw  God  face  to  face. 

At  six  o’clock  the  Nautilus,  sometimes  floating,  sometimes  im¬ 
mersed,  passed  some  distance  from  Tor,  situated  at  the  end  of 
the  bay,  the  waters  of  which  seemed  tinted  with  red,  an  obser¬ 
vation  already  made  by  Captain' Nemo.  Then  night  fell  in  the 
midst  of  a  heavy  silence,  sometimes  broken  by  the  cries  of  the 
pelican  and  other  night  birds,  and  the  noise  of  the  waves  break¬ 
ing  upon  the  shore,  chafing  against  the  rocks,  or  the  panting  of 
some  far-ofit  steamer  beating  the  waters  of  the  gulf  with  its  noisy 
paddles. 

From  eight  to  nine  o’clock  the  Nautilus  remained  some  fath¬ 
oms  under  the  water.  Accordin^i  to  my  calculation  we  must 
have  been  very  near  Suez.  Through  the  panel  of  the  saloon  I 
saw  the  bottom  of  the  rocks  brilliantly  lit  up  by  our  electric 
lamp.  We  seemed  to  be  leaving  the  straits  behind  us  more  and 
more. 

At  a  quarter  past  nine,  the  vessel  having  returned  to  the  sur¬ 
face,  I  mounted  the  platform.  Most  impatient  to  pass  through 
Captain  Nemo’s  tunnel,  I  could  not  stay  in  one  place,  so  came  to 
breathe  the  fresh  night-air. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  201 


Soon  in  the  shadow  I  saw  a  pale  light,  half  discolored  by  the 
fog,  shining  about  a  mile  from  us. 

“A  floating  lighthouse ! ”  said  some  one  near  me. 

I  turned,  and  saw  the  captain. 

“It  is  the  floating  light  of  Suez,”  he  continued.  “It  will  not 
be  long  before  we  gain  the  entrance  of  the  tunnel.” 

“  The  entrance  can  not  be  easy  ?  ” 

“No,  sir;  and  for  that  reason  I  am  accustomed  to  go  into  the 
steersman’s  cage,  and  myself  direct  our  course.  And  now  if  you 
will  go  down,  M.  Aronnax,  the  Nautilus  is  going  under  the 
waves,  and  will  not  return  to  the  surface  until  we  have  passed 
through  the  Arabian  Tunnel.” 

Captain  Nemo  led  me  towards  the  central  staircase;  half-way 
down  he  opened  a  door,  traversed  the  upper  deck,  and  landed  in 
the  pilot’s  cage,  which  it  may  be  remembered  rose  at  the  extrem¬ 
ity  of  the  platform.  It  was  a  cabin  measuring  six  feet  square, 
very  much  like  that  occupied  by  the  pilot  on  the  steamboats  of 
the  Mississippi  or  Hudson.  In  the  midst  worked  a  wheel,  placed 
vertically,  and  caught  to  the  tiller-rope,  which  ran  to  the  back 
of  the  Nautilus.  Four  light-ports  with  lenticular  glasses,  let  in 
a  groove  in  the  partition  of  the  cabin,  allowed  the  man  at  the 
wheel  to  see  in  all  directions. 

This  cabin  was  dark;  but  soon  my  eyes  accustomed  them¬ 
selves  to  the  obscurity,  and  I  perceived  the  pilot,  a  strong  man, 
with  his  hands  resting  on  the  spokes  of  the  wheel.  Outside,  the 
sea  appeared  vividly  lit  up  by  the  lantern,  which  shed  its  rays 
from  the  back  of  the  cabin  to  the  other  extremity  of  the  plat¬ 
form. 

“Now,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  “let  us  try  to  make  our  pas¬ 
sage.” 

Electric  wires  connected  the  pilot’s  cage  with  the  machinery- 
room,  and  from  there  the  captain  could  communicate  simulta¬ 
neously  to  his  Nautilus  the  direction  and  the  speed.  He  pressed 
a  metal  knob;  and  at  once  the  speed  of  the  screw  diminished. 

I  looked  in  silence  at  the  high  straight  wall  we  were  running 
by  at  this  moment,  the  immovable  base  of  a  massive  sandy  coast. 
We  followed  it  thus  for  an  hour  only  some  few  yards  off. 

Captain  Nemo  did  not  take  his  eye  from  the  knob,  suspended 


202  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

by  its  two  concentric  circles  in  the  cabin.  At  a  simple  gesture, 
the  pilot  modified  the  course  of  the  Nautilus  every  instant. 

I  had  placed  myself  at  the  port-scuttle,  and  saw  some  magni¬ 
ficent  substructures  of  coral,  zoophytes,  sea-weed,  and  fucus, 
agitating  their  enormous  claws,  which  stretched  out  from  the 
fissures  of  the  rock. 

At  a  quarter  past  ten,  the  captain  himself  took  the  helm.  A 
large  gallery,  black  and  deep,  opened  before  us.  The  Nautilus 
went  boldly  into  it.  A  strange  roaring  was  heard  round  its  sides. 
It  was  the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  the  incline  of  the  tun¬ 
nel  precipitated  violently  towards  the  Mediterranean.  The  Nau¬ 
tilus  went  with  the  torrent,  rapid  as  an  arrow,  in  spite  of  the 
efforts  of  the  machinery,  which,  in  order  to  offer  more  effective 
resistance,  beat  the  waves  with  reversed  screw. 

On  the  walls  of  the  narrow  passage  I  could  see  nothing  but 
brilliant  rays,  straiglit  lines,  furrows  of  fire,  traced  by  the  great 
speed,  under  the  brilliant  electric  light.  My  heart  beat  fast. 

At  thirty-five  minutes  past  ten.  Captain  Nemo  quitted  the  helm; 
and,  turning  to  me,  said,— 

“  The  Mediterranean  !  ” 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes,  the  Nautilus,  carried  along  by  the 
torrent,  had  passed  through  the  Isthmus  of  Suez. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  GRECIAN  ARCHIPELAGO. 

The  next  day,  the  12th  of  February,  at  the  dawn  of  day,  the 
Nautilit:4  rose  to  the  surface.  I  hastened  on  to  the  platform. 
Three  txiiles  to  the  south  the  dim  outline  of  Pelusium  was  to  be 
seen.  A.  torrent  had  carried  us  from  one  sea  to  the  other.  About 
seven  o'clock  Ned  and  Conseil  joined  me. 

“  Weil,  Sh*  Naturalist,”  said  the  Canadian,  in  a  slightly  joviaJ 
tone,  ••  and  the  Mediterranean  ?” 

“  We  are  floating  on  its  smTace,  friend  Ned.” 

“What ! ”  said  Conseil,  “ this  very  night.” 

“Yes,  this  very  night;  in  a  few  minutes  we  have  passed  this 
impassable  isthmus.” 

“I  do  not  believe  it,”  replied  the  Canadian. 

“Then  you  are  wrong,  Master  Land,”  I  continued;  “this  low 
coast  which  rounds  off  to  the  south  is  tl  ^  Egyptian  coast.  And 
you,  who  have  such  good  eyes,  Ned,  you  can  see  the  jetty  of  Port 
Said  stretching  into  the  sea.” 

The  Canadian  looked  attentively. 

“Certainly  you  are  right,  sir,  and  your  captain  is  a  first-rate 
man.  We  are  in  the  Mediterranean.  Good !  Now,  if  you  please, 
let  us  talk  of  our  own  little  affair,  but  so  that  no  one 
hears  us.” 

I  saw  what  the  Canadian  wanted,  and,  in  any  case,  I  thought 
it  better  to  let  him  talk,  as  he  wished  it;  so  we  all  three  went 
and  sat  down  near  the  lantern,  where  we  were  less  exposed  to 
tlie  spray  of  the  blades. 

“  Now,  Ned,  w'e  listen ;  what  have  you  to  tell  us  ?  ” 

“  Wdiat  I  have  to  tell  you  is  very  simple.  ■  We  arc  in  Europe*, 
and  before  Captain  Nemo’s  capi  ices  drag  us  once  more  to  the 


204  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  Si5-AS. 

bottom  of  the  Polar  Seas,  or  lead  us  into  Oceania,  I  ask  to  leave 
the  Nautilus.” 

I  wished  in  !io  v/ay  to  sliaekle  tlie  liberty  of  my  companions, 
but  1  certainly  felt  no  desire  to  leave  ('aptain  Nemo. 

Thanks  to  him,  and  thanks  to  his  apparatus,  I  was  each  day 
nearer  the  completion  of  my  submarine  studies;  and  I  was  re¬ 
writing  ray  book  of  subniarijie  depths  in  its  very  element.  Should 
I  ever  again  have  such  an  opportunity  of  observing  the  wonders 
of  the  ocean  ?  No,  certainly  not !  And  I  could  not  bring  my¬ 
self  to  the  idea  of  abandoning  the  Nautilus  before  the  cycle  of 
investigation  was  accomplished. 

“  Friend  Ned,  answer  me  frankly,  are  you  tired  of  being  on 
board  ?  Are  you  sorry  that  destiny  has  thrown  us  into  Captain 
Nemo’s  hands  ?  ” 

The  C’anadian  remained  q^me  moments  without  answering. 
Then  crossing  his  arms,  he  said,— 

“  Frankly,  I  do  not  regret  this  journey  under  the  seas.  I  shall 
be  glad  to  have  made  it;  but  now  that  it  is  made,  let  us  have 
done  with  it.  That  is  my  idea.” 

“  It  will  come  to  an  end,  Ned.” 

“Where  and  when?” 

“  Wliere  I  do  not  know,  when  I  can  not  say;  or,  rather,  I  sup' 
pose  it  will  end  when  these  seas  have  nothing  more  to  teach  us.” 

“  Then  what  do  you  hope  for  ?  ”  demanded  tlie  Canadian. 

“  That  circumstances  may  occur  as  well  six  months  hence  as 
now  by  which  we  may  and  ought  to  profit.” 

“0,”  said  Ned  Land,  “and  where  shall  we  be  in  six  months, 
if  you  please.  Sir  Naturalist?” 

“Perhaps  in  China;  you  know  the  Nautilus  is  a  rapid  travel¬ 
ler.  It  goes  through  water  as  swallrws  through  the  air,  or  as  an 
express  on  the  land.  It  does  not  fear  frequented  seas;  who 
can  say  that  it  may  not  beat  the  coasts  of  France,  England,  or 
America,  on  which  flight  may  be  attempted  as  advantageously 
as  here.” 

“M.  Aronnax,”  replied  the  Canadian,  “  your  arguments  are 
rotten  at  the  foundation.  You  speak  in  the  future,  ‘  We  shall 
be  there!  we  shall  be  here !’  I  speak  in  the  present,  ‘We  are 
here,  and  we  must  profit  by  it.’  ” 


TWEXTY  THOUSAXD  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  205 

Neci  Land’s  logic  pressed  me  hard,  and  I  felt  nij’self  beaten 
on  that  ground.  I  knew  not  what,  argument  would  now  tell 
in  my  favor. 

“  Sir,”  continued  Ned,  “  let  us  suppose  an  impossibility ;  if 
Captain  Nemo  should  this  day  offer  you  your  liberty,  would  you 
accept  it?” 

“I  do  not  know,”  I  answered. 

“And  if,”  he  added,  “the  offer  he  made  you  this  day  was 
never  to  be  renewed,  would  you  accept  it?” 

“Friend  Ned,  this  is  my  answer.  Your  reasoning  is  against 
me.  We  must  not  rely  on  Captain  Nemo’s  good-will.  Common 
prudence  forbids  liim  to  set  us  at  liberty.  On  the  other  side, 
prudence  bids  us  proiit  by  the  first  opportunity  to  leave  the 
Nautilus.” 

“  Well,  M.  Aronnax,  that  is  wisely  said.” 

“Only  one  observation,  -just  one.  The  occasion  must  be 
serious,  and  our  first  attempt  must  succeed;  if  it  fails,  we  shall 
never  find  another,  and  Captain  Nemo  will  never  forgive  us.” 

“  AH  that  is  true,”  rephed  the  Canadian.  “But  your  observa¬ 
tion  applies  equally  to  all  attempts  at  flight,  whether  in  two 
years’  time,  or  in  two  days.  But  tlie  question  is  still  this:  if  a 
favorable  opportunity  presents  itself,  it  must  be  seized.” 

“Agreed  !  and  now,  Ned,  will  you  tell  me  what  you  mean  by 
a  favorable  opportunity?” 

“  It  will  be  that  which,  on  a  dark  night,  will  bring  the  Nauti¬ 
lus  a  short  distance  from  some  European  coast.” 

“And  you  will  try  and  save  yoiu'self  by  swimming?” 

“  Yes,  if  we  were  near  enough  to  the  bank,  and  if  the  vessel 
was  floating  at  the  time.  Not  If  the  bank  was  far  away,  and 
the  boat  was  under  the  water.” 

“And  in  that  case?” 

“  In  that  case,  I  should  seek  to  make  myself  master  of  the 
pinnace.  I  know  how  it  is  worked.  We  must  get  inside,  and 
the  bolts  once  drawn,  we  shall  come  to  the  surface  of  the  water, 
without  even  the  pilot,  who  is  in  the  bows,  perceiving  our 
flight.” 

“  Well,  Ned,  watch  for  the  opportunity;  but  do  not  forget  that 
a  hitch  will  ruin  us,” 


206  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“I  will  not  forget,  sir.” 

“And  now,  Ned,  would  you  like  to  know  what  I  think  of 
your  project?” 

“  Certainly,  M.  Aronnax.” 

“Well,  I  think— I  do  not  say  I  hope— I  tliink  that  tliis  favor¬ 
able  opportunity  will  never  present  itself.” 

“Why  not  ?” 

“  Because  Captain  Nemo  can  not  hide  from  himself  thau  we 
have  not  given  up  all  hope  of  regaining  our  liberty,  and  he  will 
be  on  his  guard,  above  aU,  in  the  seas,  and  in  the  sight  of  Euro¬ 
pean  coasts.” 

“We  shall  see,”  replied  Ned  Land,  shaking  his  head  deter¬ 
minedly. 

“  And  now,  Ned  Land,”  I  added,  “  let  us  stop  here.  Not  another 
word  on  the  subject.  The  day  that  you  are  ready,  come  and  let 
us  know,  and  we  will  follow  you.  I  rely  entirely  upon  you.” 

Thus  ended  a  conversation  which,  at  no  very  distant  time,  led 
to  such  grave  results.  I  must  say  here  that  facts  seemed  to  con¬ 
firm  my  foresight,  to  the  Canadian’s  great  despair.  Did  Captain 
Nemo  distrust  us  in  these  frequented  seas?  or  did  he  only  wish 
to  hide  himself  from  the  numerous  vessels,  of  all  nations, 
which  ploughed  the  Mediterranean?  I  could  not  tell;  but  w'e 
were  oftener  between  waters,  and  far  from  the  coast.  Or,  if  the 
Nautilus  did  emerge,  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  the  pilot’s 
cage;  and  sometimes  it  went  to  great  depths,  for,  between  the 
Grecian  Archipelago  and  Asia  Minor,  we  could  not  touch  the 
bottom  by  more  than  a  thousand  fathoms. 

Thus  I  only  knew  we  were  near  the  island  of  Carpathos,  one 
of  the  Sporades,  by  Captain  Nemo  reciting  these  lines  from 
V^irgil,— 

“Est  In  Carpatliio  Neptiuu  gurgite  vates, 

Cseruleus  Proteus,” 

IS  he  pointed  to  a  spot  on  the  planisphere. 

It  was  indeed  the  ancient  abode  of  Proteus,  the  old  shepherd 
of  Neptune’s  flocks,  now  the  island  of  Scarpanto,  situated  be¬ 
tween  Rhodes  and  Crete.  I  saw  nothing  but  the  granite  base 
through  the  glass  panels  of  the  saloon, 

Tlie  next  day,  the  14th  of  February,  I  resolved  to  employ 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  207 


some  hours  m  studying  the  fishes  of  the  Archipelago ;  but  for 
some  reason  or  other  the  panels  remained  hermetically  sealed. 
Upon  taking  the  course  of  the  Nautilus  I  found  that  we  were 
going  towards  Candia,  the  ancient  Isle  of  Crete.  At  the  time  I 
embarked  on  the  Abraham  Lincohi,  the  whole  of  this  island  had 
risen  in  insurrection  against  the  despotism  of  the  Turks.  But 
how  the  insurgents  had  fared  since  that  time  I  was  absolutely 
ignorant,  and  it  was  not  Captain  Nemo,  deprived  of  all  land 
communications,  who  could  tell  me. 

I  made  no  allusion  to  this  event  when  that  night  I  found  my- 
jelf  alone  with  him  in  the  saloon.  Besides,  he  seemed  to  be 
taciturn  and  preoccupied.  Then,  contrary  to  his  custom,  he 
ordered  both  panels  to  be  opened,  and  going  from  one  to  the 
other,  observed  the  mass  of  waters  attentively.  To  what  end  I 
could  not  guess;  so,  on  my  side,  I  employed  my  time  in  study¬ 
ing  the  fish  passing  before  my  eyes. 

Amongst  others,  I  remarked  some  gobies,  mentioned  by  Aris¬ 
totle,  and  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  sea-braches,  which 
are  more  particularly  met  with  in  the  salt  waters  bang  near 
the  Delta  of  the  Nile.  Near  them  rolled  some  sea-bream,  half 
phosphorescent,  a  kind  of  spams,  which  the  Egyptians  ranked 
amongst  their  sacred  animals,  whose  arrival  in  the  waters  of 
their  river  announced  a  fertile  overflow,  and  was  celebrated  by 
religious  ceremonies.  I  also  noticed  some  cheiluies  about  nine 
inches  long,  a  bony  fish  with  transparent  shell,  whose  livid 
color  is  mixed  with  red  spots:  they  are  great  eaters  of  marine 
regetation,  which  gives  them  an  exquisite  flavor.  These  chei- 
/ines  were  much  sought  after  by  the  epicm’es  of  ancient  Rome: 
the  inside,  dressed  with  the  soft  roe  of  the  lamprey,  peacock’s 
brains,  and  tongues  of  the  phenicoptera,  composed  that  divine 
dish  of  which  Vitellius  was  so  enamored. 

Another  inhabitant  of  these  seas  drew  my  attention,  and  led 
my  mind  back  to  recollections  of  antiquity.  It  was  the  remora, 
that  fastens  on  to  the  shark’s  belly.  This  little  fish,  according 
to  the  ancients,  hooking  on  to  the  ship’s  bottom,  could  stop  its 
movements;  and  one  of  them,  by  keeping  back  Antony’s  ship 
during  the  battle  of  Actium,  helped  Augustus  to  gain  the  vic¬ 
tory.  On  how  little  hangs  the  destiny  of  nations  !  I  observed 


C03  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

some  fine  anthige,  which  belong  to  the  order  of  lutjans,  a  fish 
held  sacred  by  the  Greeks,  who  attributed  to  them  the  power  of 
hunting  the  marine  monsters  from  waters  they  frequented. 
Their  name  signifies and  they  justify  their  appellation  by 
their  shaded  colors,  their  shades  comprising  the  whole  gamut 
of  reds,  from  the  paleness  of  the  rose  to  the  brightness  of  the 
ruby,  and  the  fugitive  thits  that  clouded  their  dorsal  fin.  My  eyes 
could  not  leave  these  wonders  of  the  sea,  when  they  were 
suddenly  struck  by  an  unexpected  apparition. 

In  the  midst  of  the  waters  a  man  appeared,  a  diver,  carrying 
at  his  belt  a  leathern  purse.  It  was  not  a  body  abandoned 
CO  the  waves;  it  was  a  living  man,  swimming  with  a  strong 
hand,  disappearing  occasionally  to  take  breath  at  the  surface. 

I  turned  towards  Captain  Nemo,  and  in  an  agitated  voice 
exclaimed, — 

“  A  man  shipwrecked !  He  must  be  saved  at  any  price  !  ” 

The  captain  did  not  answer  me,  but  came  and  leaned  against 
the  panel. 

The  man  had  approached,  and  with  his  face  flattened  against 
the  glass  was  looking  at  us. 

To  my  great  amazement,  Captain  Nemo  signed  to  him.  The 
diver  answered  with  his  hand,  mounted  immediately  to  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  did  not  appear  again. 

“Do  not  be  uncomfortable,”  said  Captain  Nemo.  “It  is 
Nicholas  of  Cape  Matapan,  surnamcd  Pesca.  He  is  well  known 
in  all  the  Cyclades.  A  bold  diver  !  water  is  his  element,  and  he 
lives  more  in  it  than  on  land,  going  continually  from  one  island 
to  another,  even  as  far  as  Crete.” 

“  You  know  lum.  Captain  ?  ” 

“  Why  not,  M.  Aronnax  ?  ” 

Saying  which.  Captain  Nemo  went  towards  a  piece  of  furni¬ 
ture  standing  near  the  left  panel  of  the  saloon.  Near  this 
piece  of  furniture,  I  saw  a  chest  bound  with  iron,  on  the  cover 
of  which  was  a  copper  plate,  bearing  the  cipher  of  the  Nautilus 
with  its  device. 

At  that  moment,  the  captain,  without  noticing  my  presence, 
opened  the  ijiece  of  furniture,  a  sort  of  strong  box,  which  held 
a  great  many  ingots. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  209 


They  were  ingots  of  gold.  From  whence  came  this  precious 
metal,  which  represented  an  enormous  sum  ?  Where  did  the 
captain  gather  this  gold  from  ?  and  what  was  he  going  to 
do  with  it? 

I  did  not  say  one  W'ord.  I  looked.  Captain  Nemo  took  the 
ingots  one  by  one,  and  arranged  them  methodically  in  the 
cliest,  which  he  filled  entirely.  I  estimated  the  contents  at 
more  than  -1,000  lbs.  weight  of  gold,  that  is  to  say,  nearly  £200,- 
000. 

The  chest  was  securely  fastened,  and  the  captain  wrote  an 
address  on  the  lid,  in  characters  which  must  have  belonged  to 
Modern  Greece. 

This  done.  Captain  Nemo  pressed  a  knob,  the  wire  of  which 
communicated  with  the  quarters  of  tlie  crew.  Four  men  ap¬ 
peared,  and,  not  without  some  trouble,  pushed  the  chest  out 
of  the  saloon.  Then  I  heard  them  hoisting  it  up  tlie  iron  stair¬ 
case  by  means  of  pulleys. 

At  that  moment.  Captain  Nemo  turned  to  me. 

“And  you  were  saying,  sir  ?”  said  he. 

“  I  was  saying  nothing.  Captain.” 

“  Then,  sir,  if  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  wish  you  good  night.” 

Whereupon  he  turned  and  left  the  saloon. 

I  returned  to  my  room  much  troubled,  as  one  may  believe.  I 
vainly  tried  to  sleep,— I  sought  the  connecting  link  between  the 
apparition  of  the  diver  and  the  chest  filled  with  gold.  Soon  I 
felt  by  certain  movements  of  pitching  and  tossing,  that  the 
Nautilus  was  leaving  the  depths  and  returning  to  the  surface. 

Then  I  heard  steps  upon  the  platform ;  and  I  knew  they  were 
unfastening  the  pinnace,  and  launching  it  upon  the  waves.  For 
one  instant  it  struck  the  side  of  the  Nautilus,  then  all  noise 
ceased. 

Two  hours  after,  the  same  noise,  the  same  going  and  coming 
was  renewed;  the  boat  was  hoisted  on  board,  replaced  in  its 
socket,  and  the  Nautilus  again  plunged  under  the  waves. 

So  these  millions  had  been  transported  to  their  address.  To 
what  point  of  the  continent  ?  Who  was  Captain  Nemo’s  corre¬ 
spondent  ? 

The  '"ext  day,  I  related  toConseil  and  the  Canadian  the  events 
15 


210  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEE  THE  SEAS. 

of  the  night,  which  had  excited  my  curiosity  to  the  highest 
degree.  My  companions  were  not  less  surprised  than  my¬ 
self. 

“  But  where  dues  he  take  his  millions  to  ?  ”  asked  Ned  Land. 

To  that  there  was  no  possible  answer.  I  returned  to  the  saloon 
vfter  having  breakfast,  and  set  to  work.  TUI  five  o’clock  in  the 
evening,  I  employed  myself  in  arranging  my  notes.  At  that 
moment  (ought  I  to  attribute  it  to  some  peculiar  idiosyncrasy  ?) 
I  felt  so  great  a  heat  that  I  was  obliged  to  take  off  my  coat  of 
byssus  !  It  was  strange,  for  we  were  not  under  low  latitudes; 
and  even  then,  the  Nautilus,  submerged  as  it  was,  ought  to  ex¬ 
perience  no  change  of  temperature.  I  looked  at  the  manometer ; 
it  showed  a  depth  of  sixty  feet,  to  which  atmospheric  heat  could 
never  attain. 

I  continued  my  work,  but  the  temperature  rose  to  such  a  pitch 
as  to  be  intolerable. 

“  Could  there  be  fire  on  board  ?  ”  I  asked  myself. 

I  was  leaving  the  saloon,  when  Captain  Nemo  entered;  he 
approached  the  thermometer,  consulted  it,  and  turning  to  me 
said, — 

“  Forty-two  degrees.” 

“I  have  noticed  it,  Captain,”  I  replied;  “and  if  it  gets  much 
hotter  we  can  not  bear  it.” 

“  0,  sir,  it  wiU  not  get  hotter  if  we  do  not  wish  it !  ” 

“You  can  reduce  it  as  you  please,  then  ?” 

“No;  but  I  can  go  farther  from  the  stove  which  produces  it.” 

“  It  is  outward  then  ?  ” 

“Certainly;  we  are  fioating  in  a  current  of  boiling  water.” 

“  Is  it  possible !  ”  I  exclaimed. 

“Look.” 

The  panels  opened,  and  I  saw  the  sea  entirely  white  all  round. 
A  sulphurous  smoke  was  curling  amid  the  waves,  which  boiled 
like  water  in  a  copper.  I  placed  my  hand  on  one  of  the  panes 
of  glass,  but  the  heat  was  so  great  that  I  quickly  took  it  off 
again. 

“  Where  are  we  ?  ”  I  asked. 

“Near  the  Island  of  Santorin,  sir,”  replied  the  captain,  “and 
Just  in  the  canal  which  separates  Nea  Kamenni  from  Pali  Ka- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  211 


menni.  I  wished  to  give  you  a  sight  of  the  curious  spectacle  of 
a  submarine  eruption.”  ^ 

“1  thought,”  said  I,  “  that  the  formation  of  these  new  islands 
was  ended.” 

“Nothing  is  ever  ended  in  the  volcanic  parts  of  the  sea,”  re¬ 
plied  Captain  Nemo ;  “and  the  globe  is  always  being  worked 
by  subterranean  fires.  Already,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  our 
era,  according  to  Cassiodorus  and  Pliny,  a  new  island,  Theia 
(the  divine),  appeared  in  the  very  place  where  these  islets  have 
recently  been  formed.  Then  they  :ar-k  under  the  waves,  to  rise 
again  in  the  year  69,  when  they  again  subsided.  Since  that 
time  to  our  days,  the  Plutonian  work  has  been  suspended.  But, 
on  the  3d  of  February,  1866,  a  new  island,  which  they  named 
George  Island,  emerged  from  the  midst  of  the  sulphurous  va¬ 
por  near  Nea  Kamenni,  and  settled  again  the  sixth  of  the  same 
month.  Seven  days  after,  the  13th  of  February,  the  Island  of 
Aphroessa  appeared,  leaving  between  Nea  Kamenni  and  itself 
a  canal  ten  yards  broad.  I  was  in  these  seas  when  the  phe¬ 
nomenon  occurred,  and  I  was  able  therefore  to  observe  all  the 
dilTerent  phases.  The  Island  of  Aphroessa,  of  round  form, 
measured  300  feet  in  diameter,  and  thirty  feet  in  height.  It 
was  composed  of  black  and  vitreous  lava,  mixed  with  fragments 
of  felspar.  And  lastly,  on  the  10th  of  March,  a  smaller  island, 
called  Reka,  showed  itself  near  Nea  Kamenni,  and  since  then 
these  three  have  joined  together,  forming  but  one  and  the  same 
island.” 

“  And  the  canal  in  which  we  are  at  this  moment  ?  ”  I  asked. 

“  Here  it  is,”  replied  Captain  Nemo,  showing  me  a  map  of  the 
Archipelago.  “  You  see  I  have  marked  the  new  islands.” 

I  retiuned  to  the  glass.  The  Nautilus  was  no  longer  moving, 
the  heat  was  becoming  unbearable.  The  sea,  which  till  now 
had  been  white,  was  red,  owing  to  the  presence  of  salts  of  iron. 
In  spite  of  the  ship’s  being  hermetically  sealed,  an  insupporta¬ 
ble  smell  of  sulphur  filled  the  saloon,  and  the  brilliancy  <  >f  the 
electricity  was  entirely  extinguished  by  bright  scarlet  flames. 
I  was  in  a  bath,  I  was  choking,  I  was  broiled. 

We  can  remain  no  longer  in  this  boiling  water,”  said  I  to 
the  captain. 

'5 


2I2  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS 

“It  would  not  be  prudent,”  replied  the  impassive  Captain 
Nemo, 

An  order  was  given;  the  NautUus  tacked  about  and  left  the 
furnace  it  could  not  brave  with  impunity.  A  quarter  of  an 
hour  after  w©  were  breathing  fresh  air  on  the  surface.  The 
thought  then  struck  me  that,  if  Ned  Land  had  chosen  this  part 

of  the  sea  for  our  flight,  we  should  never  have  come  alive  out 
of  this  sea  of  fire. 

The  next  day,  the  16th  of  February,  we  left  the  basin  which, 
between  Rhodes  and  Alexandria,  is  reckoned  about  1,500  fath¬ 
oms  in  depth,  and  the  Nautilus,  passing  some  distance  from 
Cerigo,  quitted  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  after  having  doubled 
Cape  Matapan. 


CHAPTER  Vir 


THS  MEDITERRANEAN  IN  FORTY-EIGHT  HOURS. 

The  Mediterranean,  the  blue  sea  par  excellence,  “  the  great 
sea ’’  of  the  Hebrews,  “  the  sea”  of  the  Greeks,  the  “  mare  nos¬ 
trum  ”  of  the  Romans,  bordered  by  orange-trees,  aloes,  cacti, 
and  sea-pines;  embalmed  with  the  perfume  of  the  myrtle,  sur¬ 
rounded  by  rude  mountains,  saturated  with  pure  and  transpar¬ 
ent  air,  but  ince=’''£intly  worked  by  underground  fires,  a  perfec' 
battle-field  in  vvhich  Neptune  and  Pluto  still  dispute  the  empire 
of  the  world ! 

It  is  upon  these  banks,  and  on  these  waters,  says  Michelet, 
that  man  is  renewed  in  one  of  the  most  powerful  climates  of 
the  globe.  But,  beautiful  as  it  was.  I  could  only  take  a  rapid 
glance  at  the  basin  whose  superficial  area  is  two  millions  of 
square  yards.  Even  Captain  Nemo’s  knowledge  was  lost  to  me, 
for  tliis  enigmatical  person  did  not  appear  once  during  our 
passage  at  full  speed.  I  estimated  the  course  which  the  Nau¬ 
tilus  took  under  the  waves  of  the  sea  at  about  six  hundred 
leagues,  and  it  was  accomplished  in  forty-eight  hours.  Starting 
on  the  morning  of  the  IGth  of  February  from  the  shores  of 
Greece,  we  had  crossed  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  by  sunrise  on 
the  18th. 

It  was  plain  to  me  that  this  Mediterranean,  enclosed  in  the 
midst  of  those  countries  which  he  wished  to  avoid,  was  distaste¬ 
ful  to  Captain  Nemo.  I*hose  waves  and  those  breezes  brought 
back  too  many  remembrances,  if  not  too  many  regrets.  Here 
he  had  no  longer  that  independence  and  that  liberty  of  gai 
which  he  had  when  in  the  open  seas,  and  his  Nautilus  felt 
Itself  cramped  between  the  close  shores  of  Africa  and  Europe. 

Our  speed  was  now  twenty-five  miles  an  hour.  It  may  be  well 

21:1 


214  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

understood  that  Ned  Land,  to  his  great  disgust,  was  obliged 
to  renounce  his  intended  flight.  He  could  not  launch  the 
pinnace,  going  at  tiie  rate  of  twelve  or  thirteen  yards  every 
second.  To  quit  the  Nautilus  under  such  conditions  would  be 
as  bad  as  jumping  from  a  train  going  at  full  speed,  —  an  im¬ 
prudent  thing,  to  say  the  least  of  it.  Besides,  our  vessel  only 
mounted  to  the  surface  of  tlie  waves  at  night  to  renew  its 
stock  of  air  ;  it  was  steered  entirely  by  the  compass  and  the  log. 

I  saw  no  more  of  the  interior  of  this  Mediterranean  than  a 
traveller  by  express  traiji  perceives  of  the  landscape  which 
flies  before  his  eyes ;  that  is  to  say,  the  distant  horizon,  and 
not  the  nearer  objects  which  pass  like  a  flash  of  lightning. 

In  the  midst  of  the  mass  of  waters  brightly  lit  up  by  the 
electric  light  glided  some  of  those  lampreys,  more  than  a  yard 
long,  common  to  almost  every  climate.  Some  of  the  oxyrhynchi, 
a  kind  of  ray  five  feet  broad,  with  white  belly  and  gray  spotted 
back,  spread  out  like  a  large  shawl  carried  along  by  the  cur¬ 
rent.  Other  rays  passed  so  quickly  that  I  could  not  see  if 
they  deserved  the  name  of  eagles  which  was  given  to  them  by 
the  ancient  Greeks,  or  the  qualification  of  rats,  toads,  and  bats 
with  which  modern  fishermen  have  loaded  them.  A  few 
milander  sharks,  twelve  feet  long,  and  much  feared  by  divers, 
struggled  amongst  them.  Sea-foxes  eight  feet  long,  endowed 
with  wonderful  fineness  of  scent,  appeared  like  large  blue 
shadows.  Some  dorados  of  the  shark  kind,  some  of  which 
measured  seven  feet  and  a  half,  showed  themselves  in  their 
dress  of  blue  and  silver,  encircled  by  small  bands  wdiich 
struck  sharply  against  the  sombre  tints  of  their  fins,  a  fish  con¬ 
secrated  to  Venus,  the  eyes  of  which  are  encased  in  a  socket  of 
gold,  a  precious  species,  friend  of  all  vYaters,  fresh  or  salt,  an 
inhabitant  of  rivers,  lakes,  and  oceans,  living  in  all  climates, 
and  bearing  all  temperatures;  a  race  belonging  to  the  geologi¬ 
cal  era  of  the  earth,  and  which  has  preserved  all  the  beauty  ol 
its  first  days.  Magnificent  sturgeons,  nine  or  ten  yards  long, 
creatures  of  great  speed,  striking  the  panes  of  glass  with  theii 
strong  tails,  displayed  their  bluish  backs  with  small  browit 
spots  ;  they  resemble  the  sharks,  but  are  not  equal  to  them  iL 
strength,  and  are  to  be  met  with  in  all  s(!as.  But  of  all  the 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  215 


diverse  inhabitants  of  the  Mediterranean,  those  I  observed  to 
the  greatest  advantage,  when  the  Nautilus  approached  the 
surface,  belonged  to  the  sixty-third  genus  of  bony  fish.  They 
were  a  kind  of  tunny,  with  bluish  black  backs,  and  silvery 
breastplates,  whose  dorsal  fins  threw  out  sparkles  of  gold. 
They  are  said  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  vessels,  whose  refreshing 
shade  they  seek  from  the  fire  of  a  tropical  sky,  and  they  did  not 
belie  the  saying,  for  they  accompanied  the  Nautilus  as  they  did  in 
former  times  the  vessel  of  La  Perouse.  For  many  a  long  hour 
they  struggled  to  keep  up  with  our  vessel.  I  was  never  tired 
of  admiring  these  creatures  really  built  for  speed, — their 
small  heads,  their  bodies  lithe  and  cigar-shaped,  which  in 
some  were  more  than  three  yards  long,  their  pectoral  fins,  and 
forked  tail  endowed  with  remarkable  strength.  They  swam  in  a 
triangle,  hire  certain  flocks  of  birds,  whose  rapidity  they  equalled, 
and  of  which  the  ancients  used  to  say  that  they  understood 
geometry  and  strategy.  But  still  they  do  not  escape  the  pursuit 
of  the  proven9als,  who  esteem  them  as  highly  as  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Propontis  and  of  Italy  used  to  do  ;  and  these  precious  but 
bhnd  and  foolhardy  creatures  perish  by  milhons  in  the  nets  of 
the  Marseillaise. 

With  regard  to  the  species  of  fish  common  to  the  Atlantic  and 
the  Mediterranean  the  giddy  speed  of  the  Nautilus  prevented 
me  from  observing  tliem  with  any  degree  of  acciu'acy. 

As  to  marine  mammals,  I  thought,  in  passing  the  entrance  of 
the  Adriatic,  that  I  saw  two  or  three  cachalots,  furnished  with 
one  dorsal  fin,  of  the  genus  physetera,  some  dolphins  of  the 
genus  globicephali,  peculiar  to  the  Mediterranean,  the  back 
part  of  the  head  being  marked  like  a  zebra  with  small  lines ; 
also,  a  dozen  of  seals,  with  white  bellies  and  black  hair,  known 
by  the  name  of  monies^  and  which  really  have  the  air  of  a  Do¬ 
minican;  they  are  about  three  yards  in  length. 

As  to  zoophytes,  for  some  instants  I  was  able  to  admire  a 
beautiful  orange  galeolaria,  which  had  fastened  itself  to  the 
port  panel;  it  held  on  by  a  long  filament,  and  was  divided  into 
an  infinity  of  branches,  terminated  by  the  finest  lace  which 
could  ever  have  been  woven  by  the  rivals  of  Arachne  herself. 
Unfortunately,  I  could  not  take  this  admirable  specimen;  and 


216  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEU  THE  SEAS. 

doubtless  no  other  Mediterranean  zoophyte  would  have  offered 
itself  to  my  observation,  if,  on  the  night  of  the  16th,  the  Nauti¬ 
lus  had  not,  singularly  enough,  slackened  its  speed,  under  the 
following  circumstances. 

We  were  then  passing  between  Sicily  and  the  coast  of  Tunis. 
In  the  narrow  space  between  Cape  Bon  and  the  Straits  of 
Messina,  the  bottom  of  the  sea  rose  almost  suddenly.  There 
was  a  perfect  bank,  on  which  there  was  not  more  than  nine 
fathoms  of  water,  wiiilst  on  either  side  the  depth  was  ninety 
fathoms. 

The  Nautilus  had  to  manoeuvre  very  carefully  so  as  not  to 
strike  against  this  submarine  barrier. 

I  showed  Conseil  on  the  map  of  the  Mediterranean  the  spot 
occupied  by  this  reef. 

“  But  if  you  please,  sir,”  observed  Conseil,  “  it  is  hke  a  real 
isthmus  joining  Europe  to  Africa.” 

“  Yes,  my  boy,  it  forms  a  perfect  bar  to  the  Straits  of  Lybia, 
and  the  soundings  of  Smith  have  proved  that  in  former  times 
the  continents  between  Cape  Boco  and  Cape  Furina  were 
joined.” 

“I  can  well  believe  it,”  said  Conseil. 

“I  will  add,”  I  continued,  “that  a  similar  barrier  exists  be¬ 
tween  Gibraltar  and  Ceuta,  which  in  geological  times  formed 
the  entire  Mediterranean.” 

“  What  if  some  volcanic  burst  should  one  day  raise  these  two 
barriers  above  the  waves?” 

“  It  is  not  probable,  Conseil.” 

“  Well,  but  allow  me  to  finish,  please,  sir;  if  this  phenomenon 
should  take  place,  it  wih  be  troublesome  for  M.  Lesseps,  who 
has  taken  so  much  pains  to  pierce  the  isthmus.” 

“I  agree  with  you;  but  I  repeat,  Conseil,  this  phenomenon 
will  never  happen.  The  violence  of  subterranean  force  is  ever 
diminisliing.  Volcanoes,  so  plentiful  in  the  first  days  of  the 
world,  are  being  extinguished  by  degrees;  the  internal  heat  is 
weakened,  the  temperature  of  the  lower  strata  of  the  globe  is 
lowered  by  a  perceptible  quantity  every  century  to  the  detri¬ 
ment  of  our  globe,  for  its  heat  is  its  life.” 

“But  the  sun?” 


twenty  thousand  leagues  Under  the  Seas.  21? 


“  The  sun  is  not  sufficient,  Conseil.  Can  it  give  heat  to  a  dead 
body?” 

“  Not  that  I  know  of.” 

“Well,  my  friend,  this  earth  will  one  day  be  that  cold  corpse; 
it  will  become  uninhabitable  and  uninhabited  like  the  moon, 
which  has  long  since  lost  all  its  vital  heat.” 

“In  how  many  centuries?” 

“In  some  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years,  my  boy.” 

“Then,”  said  Conseil,  “we  shall  have  time  to  finish  our 
journey,  that  is,  if  Ned  Land  does  not  interfere  with  it.” 

And  Conseil,  reassured,  returned  to  the  study  of  the  bank, 
which  the  Nautilus  was  skirting  at  a  moderate  speed. 

There,  beneath  the  rocky  and  volcanic  bottom,  lay  outspread 
a  living  flora  of  sponges  and  reddish  cydippes,  which  emitted  a 
slight  phosphorescent  light,  commonly  known  by  the  name  of 
sea-cucumbers;  and  walking  comatulse  more  than  a  yard  long, 
the  purple  of  which  completely  colored  the  water  around. 

The  Nautilus  having  now  passed  the  high  bank  in  the  Lybian 
Straits  returned  to  the  deep  waters  and  its  accustomed  speed. 

From  that  time  no  more  molluscs,  no  more  articulates,  no 
more  zoophytes;  barely  a  few  large  fish  passing  like  shadows. 

During  the  night  of  the  16th  and  17th  February,  we  had 
entered  the  second  Mediterranean  basin,  the  greatest  depth  of 
which  was  1,450  fathoms.  The  Nautilus,  by  the  action  of  its 
screw,  slid  down  the  inclined  planes,  and  buried  itself  in  the 
lowest  depths  of  the  sea. 

On  the  18th  of  February,  about  three  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
we  were  at  the  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.  There 
once  existed  tv/o  currents, — an  upper  one,  long  since  recog¬ 
nized,  which  conveys  the  waters  of  tlie  ocean  into  the  basin  of 
the  Mediterranean ;  and  a  lower  counter-current,  which  reason¬ 
ing  has  now  shown  to  exist.  Indeed,  the  volume  of  water  in 
the  Mediterranean,  incessantly  added  to  by  the  waves  of  the 
Atlantic,  and  by  rivers  falling  into  it,  would  each  year  raise 
the  level  of  this  sea,  for  its  evaporation  is  not  sufficient  to 
restore  the  equilibrium.  As  it  is  not  so,  we  must  necessarily 
admit  the  existence  of  an  under-current,  which  empties  into 
the  basin  of  the  Atlantic,  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  the 


218  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

surplus  waters  of  the  Mediterranean.  A  fact,  indeed;  and  it 
was  this  counter-current  by  which  the  Nautilus  profited.  It 
advanced  rapidly  by  the  narrow  pass.  For  one  instant  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  the  beautiful  rums  of  the  temple  of  Hercules, 
buried  in  the  ground,  according  to  Pliny,  and  with  the  l®w 
island  which  supports  it;  and  a  few  minutes  later  we  were 
tioating  on  the  Atlantie. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


VIGO  BAY. 

The  Atlantic !  a  vast  sheet  of  water,  whose  superficial  area 
covers  twenty-five  millions  of  square  miles,  the  length  of 
which  is  nine  thousand  miles,  with  a  mean  breadth  of 
two  thousand  seven  hundred, — an  ocean  whose  parallel  wind¬ 
ing  shores  embrace  an  immense  circumference,  watered  by  the 
largest  rivers  of  the  world,  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Mississippi, 
the  Amazon,  the  Plata,  the  Orinoco,  the  Niger,  the  Senegal,  the 
Elbe,  the  Loire,  and  the  Rhine,  which  carry  water  from  the 
most  civilized,  as  well  as  from  the  most  savage  countries !  Magni¬ 
ficent  field  of  water,  incessantly  ploughed  by  vessels  of  every 
nation,  sheltered  by  the  flags  of  every  nation,  and  which  ter¬ 
minates  in  those  two  terrible  points  so  dreaded  by  mariners. 
Cape  Korn  and  the  Cape  of  Tempests  ! 

The  Nautilus  was  piercing  the  v/ater  with  its  sharp  spur,  after 
having  accomplished  nearly  ten  thousand  leagues  in  three 
months  and  a  half,  a  distance  greater  than  the  great  circle  of 
the  earth.  Where  were  we  going  now  ?  and  what  was  reserved 
for  the  future  ?  The  Nautilus,  leaving  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar^ 
had  gone  far  out.  It  returned  to  the  surface  of  the  waves,  and 
our  daily  walks  on  the  platform  were  restored  to  us. 

I  mounted  at  once,  accompanied  by  Ned  Land  and  Conseil. 
At  a  distance  of  abou':  twelve  miles,  Cape  St.  Vincent  was  dimly 
to  be  seen,  forming  the  southwestern  point  of  the  Spanish 
peninsula.  A  strong  southerly  gale  was  blowing.  The  sea  was 
swollen  and  billowy;  it  made  the  Nautilus  rock  violently.  It 
was  almost  impossible  to  keep  one’s  footing  on  the  platform, 
which  the  heavy  rolls  of  the  sea  beat  over  every  instant.  So  we 
descended  after  inhaling  some  mouthfuls  of  fresh  air. 

219 


220  TWENTY  THOXTSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

I  returned  to  my  room,  Conseil  to  his  cabin  ;  but  the  Canadian, 
with  a  preoccupied  air,  followed  me.  Our  rapid  passage  across 
the  Mediterranean  had  not  allowed  him  to  put  his  project  into 
execution,  and  he  could  not  help  showing  his  disappointment 
Wheii  the  door  of  my  room  was  shut,  he  sat  down  and  looked 
at  me  silently. 

“Friend  Ned,”  said  I,  “I  understand  you;  but  you  can  not  re- 
proacn  yourself.  To  have  attempted  to  leave  the  Nautilus  imder 
the  circumstances  would  have  been  folly.” 

Ned  Land  did  not  answer;  his  compressed  lips  and  frowning 
brow  showed  with  him  the  violent  possession  this  fixed  idea 
had  Liken  of  liis  mind. 

“  Lttt  us  see,”  I  continued;  “  we  need  not  despair  yet  We  are 
going  up  the  coast  of  Portugal  again;  France  and  England  are 
not  tar  off,  where  we  can  easily  find  refuge.  Now,  if  the 
Nautilus,  on  leaving  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  had  gone  to  the 
south,  if  it  had  carried  us  towards  regions  where  there  were  no 
continents  I  should  share  your  uneasiness.  But  we  know  now 
that  Captain  Nemo  does  not  fiy  from  civilized  seas,  and  in  some 
days  I  think  you  can  act  with  secmity.” 

Ned  Land  still  looked  at  me  fixedly;  at  length  his  fixed  lips  . 
parted,  and  he  said,  “  It  is  for  to-night.” 

I  drew  myself  up  suddenly.  I  was,  I  admit,  little  prepared 
for  this  communication.  1  wanted  to  answer  the  Canadian,  but 
words  would  not  come. 

“  We  agreed  to  wait  for  an  opportunity,”  continued  Ned  Land, 

“  and  the  opportunity  has  arrived.  This  night  we  shall  be  but 
a  few  miles  from  the  Spanish  coast.  It  is  cloudy.  The  wind 
blows  freely.  I  have  your  word,  M.  Aronnax,  and  I  rely  upon 
you.” 

As  I  was  still  silent,  the  Canadian  approached  me. 

“  To-night,  at  nine  o’clock,”  said  he.  “  I  have  warned  Con¬ 
seil.  At  that  moment.  Captain  Nemo  will  be  shut  up  in  his 
room,  probably  in  bed.  Neither  the  engineers  nor  the  ship’s 
crew  can  see  us.  Conseil  and  I  will  g^h  the  central  staircase, 
and  you,  M.  Aronnax,  will  remain  in  the  library,  two  steps  from 
us,  waiting  my  signal.  The  oars,  the  mast,  and  the  sail  are  in 
the  canoe.  I  have  even  succeeded  in  getting  in  some  provisions 


Twenty  thousand  leagues  under  the  Seas.  221 


I  have  procured  an  English  wrench,  to  unfasten  the  bolts  which 
attach  it  to  the  shell  of  the  Nautilus.  So  all  is  ready  till  to¬ 
night.” 

“  The  sea  is  bad.” 

That  I  allow,”  replied  the  Canadian;  “but  we  must  risk  that. 
Liberty  is  worth  paying  for;  besides,  the  boat  is  strong,  and  a 
few  miles  with  a  fair  wind  to  carry  us  is  no  great  thing.  Who 
knows  but  by  to-morrow  we  may  be  a  hundred  leagues  away  ? 
Let  circumstances  only  favor  us,  and  by  ten  or  eleven  o’clock 
we  shall  have  landed  on  some  spot  of  term  jirma^  alive  or  dead. 
But  adieu  now  till  to-night.” 

With  these  words  the  Canadian  withdrew,  leaving  me  almost 
dumb.  I  had  imagined  that,  the  chance  gone,  I  should  have 
time  to  reflect  and  discuss  the  matter.  My  obstinate  companion 
had  given  me  no  time;  and,  after  all,  what  could  I  have  said  to 
him?  Ned  Land  was  perfectly  right.  There  was  almost  the 
opportunity  to  profit  by.  Could  I  retract  my  word,  and  take 
upon  myself  the  responsibility  of  compromising  the  future  of 
my  companions?  To-morrow  Captain  Nemo  might  take  us 
far  from  all  land. 

At  that  moment  a  rather  loud  hissing  told  me  that  the  reser¬ 
voirs  were  filling,  and  that  the  Nautilus  was  sinking  under  the 
waves  of  the  Atlantic. 

A  sad  day  I  passed,  between  the  desire  of  regaining  my  liberty 
of  action,  and  of  abandoning  the  wonderful  Nautilus,  and  leav¬ 
ing  my  submarine  studies  incomplete. 

What  dreadful  hours  I  passed  thus !  sometimes  seeing  myself 
and  companions  safely  landed,  sometimes  wishing,  in  spite  of 
my  reason,  that  some  unforseen  circumstances  would  prevent 
the  realization  of  Ned  Land’s  project. 

Twice  I  went  to  the  saloon.  I  wished  to  consult  the  compass. 
I  wished  to  see  if  the  direction  the  Nautilus  was  taking  was 
bringing  us  nearer  or  taking  us  farther  from  the  coast.  But 
no ;  the  Nautilus  kept  in  Portuguese  waters. 

I  must  therefore  take  my  part,  and  prepare  for  flight.  My 
luggage  was  not  heavy:  my  notes,  nothing  more. 

As  to  Captain  Nemo,  I  asked  myself  what  he.  would  think  of 
our  escape;  what  trouble,  what  wrong  it  might  cause  him, 


223  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

and  what  he  might  do  in  case  of  its  discovery  or  failure. 
Certainly  I  had  no  cause  to  complain  of  him;  on  the  contrary, 
never  was  hospitality  freer  than  his.  In  leaving  him  I  could 
not  be  taxed  with  ingratitude.  No  oath  bomid  us  to  him.  It 
was  on  the  strength  of  circumstances  he  relied,  and  not  upon 
our  word,  to  fix  us  forever. 

I  had  not  seen  the  captain  since  our  visit  to  the  Island  of  San- 
torin.  Would  chance  bring  me  to  his  presence  before  our  de¬ 
parture  ?  I  wished  it,  and  I  feared  it  at  the  same  time.  I  list¬ 
ened  if  I  could  hear  him  walking  in  the  room  contiguous  to 
nune.  No  sound  reached  my  ear.  I  felt  an  unbearable  un¬ 
easiness.  Tills  day  of  waiting  seemed  eternal.  Hours  struck 
too  slowly  to  keep  pace  with  my  hnpatience. 

My  dinner  was  served  in  my  room  as  usual.  I  ate  but  little,  I 
was  too  preoccupied.  I  left  the  table  at  seven  o’clock.  A 
hundred  and  twenty  minutes  (I  counted  them)  still  separated 
me  from  the  moment  in  which  I  was  to  join  Ned  Land.  My 
agitation  redoubled.  My  pulse  beat  violently.  I  could  not 
remain  quiet.  I  went  and  came,  hoping  to  calm  my  troubled 
spirit  by  constant  movement.  The  idea  of  failure  in  our  bold 
enterprise  was  the  least  painful  of  my  anxieties;  but  the 
thought  of  seeing  our  project  discovered  before  leaving  the 
Nautilus,  of  being  brought  before  Captain  Nemo,  irritated,  or 
(what  was  worse)  saddened  at  my  desertion,  made  my  heart 
beat. 

I  wanted  to  see  the  saloon  for  the  last  time.  I  descended  the 
stairs,  and  arrived  in  the  museum  where  I  had  passed  so  many 
useful  and  agreeable  hours.  T  looked  at  all  its  riches,  all  its 
treasures,  like  a  man  on  the  eve  of  an  eternal  exile,  who  was 
leaving  never  to  return.  These  wonders  of  nature,  these  master 
pieces  of  art,  amongst  which,  for  so  many  days,  my  life  had 
been  concentrated,  I  was  going  to  abandon  them  for  ever !  I 
should  like  to  have  taken  a  last  look  through  the  windows  of 
the  saloon  into  the  w'aters  of  the  Atlantic ;  but  the  panels 
were  hermetically  closed,  and  a  cloak  of  steel  separated  me 
from  that  ocean  which  I  had  not  yet  explored. 

In  passing  through  the  saloon,  I  came  near  the  door,  let  into 
the  angle,  wnich  opened  into  the  captain’s  room.  To  my  great 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  22& 


surprise,  this  door  was  ajar.  I  drew  back,  involuntarily.  If 
Captain  Nemo  should  be  in  his  room,  he  could  see  me.  But, 
hearing  no  noise,  I  drew  nearer.  The  room  was  deserted.  I 
pushed  open  the  door,  and  took  some  steps  forward.  Still  the 
same  monk-like  severity  of  aspect. 

Suddenly  the  clock  struck  eight.  The  first  beat  of  the  hammer 
on  the  beU  awoke  me  from  my  dreams.  I  trembled  as  if  an 
invisible  eye  had  plunged  mto  my  most  secret  thoughts,  and 
I  hurried  from  the  room. 

There  my  eye  fell  upon  the  compass.  Our  course  was  still 
north.  The  log  indicated  moderate  speed,  the  manometer  a 
depth  of  about  sixty  feet. 

I  retmrned  to  my  room,  clothed  myself  warmly, — searboots, 
an  otterskin  cap,  a  greatcoat  of  byssus,  lined  with  sealskin;  I 
was  ready,  I  was  waiting.  The  vibration  of  the  screw  alone 
broke  the  deep  silence  which  reigned  on  board.  I  listened 
attentively.  Would  no  loud  voice  suddenly  inform  me  that  Ned 
Land  had  been  sm-prised  in  his  projected  flight  ?  A  mortal 
dread  hung  over  me,  and  I  vainly  tried  to  regain  my  ac¬ 
customed  coolness. 

At  a  few  minutes  to  nine,  I  put  my  ear  to  the  captain’s  door. 
No  noise.  I  left  my  room  and  returned  to  the  saloon,  which 
was  half  in  obscurity,  but  deserted. 

- 1  oi)ened  the  door  communicating  witli  the  library.  The  same 
insufficient  light,  the  same  solitude.  I  placed  myself  near  the 
door  leading  to  the  central  staircase,  and  there  waited  for  Ned 
Land’s  signal. 

At  that  moment  the  trembling  of  the  screw  sensibly  dimin¬ 
ished,  then  it  stopped  entirely.  The  silence  was  now  only  dis¬ 
turbed  by  the  beatings  of  my  own  heart.  Suddenly  a  slight 
shock  was  felt;  and  I  knew  that  the  Nautilus  had  stopped  at 
the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  My  uneasiness  mcreasod.  The 
Canadian’s  signal  did  not  come.  I  felt  inclined  to  join  Ned 
Land  and  beg  of  him  to  put  off  his  attempt.  I  felt  that  we 
were  not  sailing  under  our  usual  conditions. 

At  this  moment  the  door  of  the  large  saloon  opened  and 
Captain  Nemo  appeared.  He  saw  me,  and,  without  further 
preamble,  began  in  an  amiable  tone  of  voice— 


224  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“Ah,  sir!  I  have  been  looking  for  you.  Do  you  know  the 
history  of  Spain?” 

Now,  one  might  know  the  history  of  one’s  own  country 
by  heart;  but  in  the  condition  I  was  at  the  time,  with  troubled 
mind  and  head  quite  lost,  I  could  not  have  said  a  word  of  it. 

“Well,”  continued  Captain  Nemo,  “you  heard  my  question? 
Do  you  know  the  history  of  Spain?” 

“  Very  slightly,”  I  answered. 

“  Well,  here  are  learned  men  having  to  learn,”  said  the  cap¬ 
tain.  “  Come,  sit  down,  and  I  will  tell  you  a  curious  episode 
in  this  history.  Sir,  listen  -^ell,”  said  he;  “this  history  will 
interest  you  on  one  side,  for  it  will  answer  a  question  which 
doubtless  you  hav<^  not  been  iL!  to  solve.” 

“I  listen.  Captain,”  said  not  knowing  what  my  mterlocutor 
was  driving  at,  and  asking  myself  if  this  incident  was  bearmg 
on  our  projected  flight. 

“  Sir,  if  you  havr  no  objection,  we  will  go  back  to  1702.  You 
an  not  be  ignorant  that  your  king,  Louis  XIV,  thinking  that  the 
<8sture  of  a  potentate  ’.ras  sutiicient  to  bring  the  Pyi'enees  under 
js  yoke,  had  imposed  the  Duke  of  Anjou,  his  grandson,  on  the 
Spaniards.  Tliis  pri-ce  reigned  more  or  less  badly  under  the 
name  of  Philij  V,  and  had  a  strong  party  against  him  abroad. 
Indeed,  the  precedin'  year,  the  royal  houses  of  Holland,  Austria 
aird  England  had  conrluded  a  treat  of  alliance  at  the  Hague, 
with  the  intention  of  plucking  the  crown  of  Spain  from  the 
head  of  Philip  V,  an("  placin'  it  on  that  of  an  archduke  to 
whom  they  prematurely  gaw  thf  title  of  Charles  III. 

“Spain  must  resist  this  coalition;  but  she  was  almost  entirely 
unprovided  with  either  soldiers  or  sailors.  However,  money 
would  not  fail  them,  provided  that  their  galle(wis,  laden  with 
gold  and  silver  from  America,  once  entered  their  ports.  And 
about  the  end  of  1702  they  expected  a  rich  convoy  which  France 
was  escorting  with  a  fleet  of  twenty-three  vessels,  commanded 
by  Admiral  Chateau-Ronaud,  for  the  ships  of  the  coalition  were 
already  beating  the  Atlantic.  This  convoy  was  to  go  to  Cadiz, 
but  the  admiral,  hearing  that  an  English  fleet  was  cruising  in 
those  waters,  resolved  to  make  for  a  French  port. 

“The  Spanish  comnaanders  of  the  convoy  objected  to  this  de- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UN^ER  THE  SEAS.  225 


cision.  They  wanted  to  be  taken  to  a  Spanish  port,  and  if  not 
to  Cadiz,  into  Vigo  Bay,  situated  on  the  northwest  coast  of  Spain, 
and  which  was  not  blocked. 

“  Admiral  Chateau-Renaud  had  the  rashness  to  obey  this  in¬ 
junction,  and  the  galleons  entered  Vigo  Bay. 

“  Unfortunately,  it  formed  an  open  road  which  could  not  bo 
defended  in  any  way.  They  must  therefore  hasten  to  unload 
the  galleons  before  the  arrival  of  the  combined  fleet;  and  time 
would  not  have  failed  them  had  not  a  miserable  question  of 
rivalry  suddenly  arisen.” 

“You  are  following  the  chain  of  events?”  asked  Captain 
Nemo. 

“  Perfectly,”  said  I,  not  knowing  the  end  proposed  by  this 
historical  lesson. 

“I  will  continue.  This  is  what  passed.  The  merchants  of 
Cadiz  had  a  privilege  by  which  they  had  the  right  of  receiving 
all  merchandise  coming  from  the  West  Indies.  Now,  to  disem¬ 
bark  these  ingots  at  the  port  of  Vigo  was  depriving  them  of 
them  rights.  They  complained  at  Madrid,  and  obtained  the  con¬ 
sent  of  the  weak-minded  Philip  that  the  convoy,  without  dis¬ 
charging  its  cargo,  should  remain  sequestered  in  the  roads  of 
Vigo  until  the  enemy  had  disappeared. 

“  But  whilst  coming  to  this  decision,  on  the  22d  of  October,, 
1702,  the  English  vessels  arrived  in  Vigo  Bay,  when  Admiral 
Chateau  -  Renaud,  in  spite  of  inferior  forces,  fought  bravely. 
But  seemg  that  the  treasure  must  fall  into  the  enemy’s  hands, 
he  burnt  and  scuttled  every  galleon,  which  went  to  the  bottom 
with  their  immense  riches.” 

Captain  Nemo  stopped.  I  admit  I  could  not  yet  see  why  this 
history  should  interest  me. 

“  WeU?”  I  asked. 

“Well,  M.  Aronnax,”  replied  Captain  Nemo,  “we  are  in  that 
Vigo  Bay ;  and  it  rests  with  yourself  whether  you  will  penetrate 
its  mysteries.” 

The  captain  rose,  telling  me  to  follow  liim.  I  had  had  time 
to  recover.  1  obeyed.  The  saloon  was  dark,  but  through  the 
transparent  glass  ttie  waves  were  sparkling.  I  looked. 

f  or  nail  a  mile  arouna  tne  JNautiius  tne  waters  seemed  patneu 
lb 


S26  TAVENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

in  electric  light.  The  sandy  bottom  was  clean  and  bright.  Some 
of  the  ship’s  crew  in  their  diving-dresses  were  clearing  away 
half-rotten  barrels  and  empty  cases  from  the  midst  of  the  black¬ 
ened  wrecks.  From  these  cases  and  from  these  barrels  escaped 
ingots  of  gold  and  silver,  cascades  of  piastres  and  jewels.  The 
sand  was  heaped  up  with  them.  Laden  with  their  precious 
booty  the  men  returned  to  the  Nautilus,  disposed  of  their  burden, 
and  went  back  to  this  inexhaustible  lishery  of  gold  and  silver. 

I  understood  now.  This  was  the  scene  of  the  battle  of  the 
22d  of  Cv^tabe:,  1702.  Here  on  this  very  spot  the  galleons  laden 
for  the  Spanish  government  had  sunk.  Here  Captain  Nemo 
came,  according  to  his  wants,  to  pack  up  those  millions  with 
which  he  burdened  the  Nautilus.  It  was  for  him  and  him  alone 
Anaerica  had  given  up  her  precious  metals.  He  was  heir  direct, 
without  any  one  to  share  in  those  treasures  tom  from  the  Incas 
and  from  the  conquered  of  Ferdinand  Cortez. 

“  Did  you  know,  sir,”  he  asked,  smiling,  “  that  the  sea  con¬ 
tained  such  riches?” 

“  I  knew,”  I  answered,  “  that  they  value  the  money  held  in 
suspension  in  these  waters  at  two  millions.” 

“  Doubtk  ; ;  but  to  extract  this  money  the  expense  would  be 
greater  '  i  ^  e  profit.  Here,  on  the  contrary,  I  have  but  to 
pick  up  what  man  has  lost;  and  not  only  in  Vigo  Bay,  but  in  a 
thousand  other  spots  where  shipwrecks  have  happened,  and 
which  are  marked  on  my  submarine  map.  Can  you  under¬ 
stand  no''"’  the  source  of  the  millions  I  am  worth?” 

‘*1  understand,  Captain.  But  allcw  me  to  tell  you  that  in  ex 
ploring  Vigo  Bay  you  have  only  been  beforehand  with  a  rival 
society.” 

“  And  which  ?  ’’ 

“  A  society  which  has  received  from  the  Spanish  government 
the  privilege  of  seeking  these  buried  galleons.  The  sharehold¬ 
ers  are  led  on  ly  allurement  of  an  enormous  bounty,  for 
they  value  these  rich  shipwrecks  at  five  hundred  millions.” 

“  Five  hundred  millions  they  were,”  answered  Captain  Nemo, 
“but  they  are  so  no  longer.” 

“Just  so,”  said  I;  “and  a  warning  to  those  shareholders 
\fould  be  an  act  of  charity.  But  who  knows  if  it  would  be  wei) 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  227 


received?  What  gamblers  usually  regret  above  all  is  less  the 
loss  of  their  money,  than  of  their  foolish  hopes.  After  all,  I 
pity  them  less  than  the  thousands  of  unfortunates  to  whom  so 
much  riches  well  distributed  would  have  been  profitable,  whilst 
for  them  they  will  be  forever  barren.” 

1  had  no  sooner  expressed  this  regret,  than  I  felt  that  it  must 
have  wounded  Captain  Nemo. 

“Barren  I”  he  exclaimed,  with  animation.  “Do  you  think 
then,  sir,  that  these  riches  are  lost  because  I  gather  them?  Is 
it  for  myself  alone,  according  to  your  idea,  that  I  take  tho 
trouble  to  collect  these  treasures?  Who  told  you  that  I  did  not 
make  a  good  use  of  it?  Do  you  think  I  am  ignorant  that  there 
are  suffering  beings  and  oppressed  races  on  this  earth,  misera¬ 
ble  creatures  to  console,  victims  to  avenge?  Do  you  not  under¬ 
stand?” 

Captain  Nemo  stopped  at  these  last  wwds,  regretting  perhaps 
that  he  had  spoken  so  much.  But  I  had  guessed  that  whatever 
the  motive  which  had  forced  him  to  seek  independence  under 
the  sea,  it  had  left  him  still  a  man,  that  his  heart  stiff  beat  for 
the  sufferings  of  humanity,  and  that  his  immense  charity  was 
for  oppressed  races  as  well  as  individuals.  And  I  then  under¬ 
stood  for  whom  those  millions  were  destined,  which  w’ere  for¬ 
warded  by  Captain  Nemo  when  the  Nauf  ius  was  cruising  in 
the  waters  of  Crete. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


A  VANISHED  CONTINENT. 

The  next  morning,  the  19th  of  February,  I  saw  the  Canadian 
^nter  my  room.  I  expected  this  visit.  He  looked  very  disap¬ 
pointed. 

“Well,  sir?”  said  he.  “Well,  Ned,  fortune  was  against  us 
yesterday.” 

“Yes;  that  captain  must  needs  stop  exactly  at  the  hour  we 
intended  leavmg  his  vessel.” 

“Yes,  Ned,  he  had  business  at  his  banker’s.”  “ His  banlters?’* 

“His  bankers !” 

“Or  rather  his  banking-house;  by  that  I  mean  the  ocean, 
where  his  riches  are  safer  than  in  the  chests  of  the  state.” 

I  then  related  to  the  Canadian  the  incidents  of  the  pi\^ceding 
night,  hoping  to  bring  him  back  to  the  idea  o  f  not  abandon  in  q 
the  captain;  but  my  recital  had  no  other  result  than  an 
energetically  expressed  regret  from  Ned,  that  he  had  not  been 
able  to  take  a  walk  on  the  battle-field  of  Vigo  on  his  ovim  ac¬ 
count. 

“However,”  said  he,  “all  is  not  ended.  It  is  only  a  blow  of 
the  harpoon  lost.  Another  time  we  must  succeed;  and  to-night, 
if  necessary — 

“ In  what  direction  is  the  Nautilus  going?”  I  asked. 

“  I  do  not  know,”  replied  Ned. 

“  Well,  at  noon  we  shall  see  the  point.” 

The  Canadian  returned  to  Conseil.  As  soon  as  I  was  dressed, 
I  went  into  the  saloon.  The  compass  was  not  reassuring.  The 
course  of  the  Nautilus  was  S.S.W.  We  were  turning  our  backs 
on  Europe. 

I  waited  with  some  impatience  till  the  ship’s  place  was 

m 


TWeMx  'IKOUSAJ^D  lEAGOfiS  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


acked  on  the  chart.  At  about  half  past  eleven  the  reservoirs 

ere  eiiiptie<l,  and  our  vessel  rose  to  the  surface  of  the  ocean, 
t  rushed  towards  the  platform.  Ned  Land  had  preceded  me. 
No  more  land  in  sight.  Nothing  but  an  immense  sea.  Some 
on  the  horizon,  doubtless  those  going  to  San  Roque  iq 
searcl.'.  of  favorable  winds  for  doubling  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
The  weather  was  cloudy.  A  gale  of  wind  was  preparing.  Ned 
raved  and  tried  to  pierce  the  cloudy  horizon.  He  still  hoped 
that  behind  all  that  fog  stretched  the  land  he  so  longed 
for 

At  noon  the  sun  showed  itself  for  an  instant.  The  secom 
Di’ofited  by  this  brightness  to  take  its  height.  Then  the  sea  b« » 
coming  more  billowy,  we  descended,  and  the  panel  closed. 

An  hour  after,  upon  consulting  the  chart,  I  saw  ihe  positvn 
ot  the  Nautilus  was  marked  at  16  17  longitude,  and  33“  22' 
l-itituda,  at  150  leagues  from  the  nearest  coast.  There  no 
means  of  flight,  and  I  leave  you  to  imagine  the  rage  of  the 
Canadian  when  I  informed  him  of  our  situation. 

For  myself,  I  was  not  particularly  sorry.  I  felt  liglitened  of 
the  load  which  had  oppressed  me,  and  was  able  to  return  with 
some  degree  of  calmness  to  my  accustomed  work. 

That  night  about  eleven  o’clock,  I  received  a  most  unexpected 
visit  from  Captain  Nemo.  He  asked  me  very  graciously  if  I  felt 
fatigued  from  my  watch  of  the  preceding  night.  I  answered 
fl,  the  negative. 

“  Then,  M.  Aronnax,  I  propose  a  curious  excursion.” 

“Propose,  Captain?” 

“  You  have  hitherto  only  visited  the  submarine  depths  by  day¬ 
light,  under  the  brightness  of  the  sun.  Would  it  suit  you  to 
see  them  in  the  darkness  of  the  night?” 

“Most  willingly.” 

“  I  warn  you,  the  way  will  be  tiring.  We  shall  have  far  to 
walk,  and  must  climb  a  mountain.  The  roads  are  not  well 
kept.” 

“What  yon  say.  Captain,  only  heightens  my  curiosity;  I  am 
ready  to  follow  you.” 

“Come  then,  sir,  we  will  put  on  our  diving-dresses.” 

Arrived  at  the  rohing-room,  I  saw  that  neither  of  my  c«m- 


Bi)0  TWENTY  TnOlTSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEll  THE  SEAS. 

panions  nor  any  of  the  ship’s  crew  were  to  follow  us  on  this  ex- 
cursion.  Captain  Nemo  had  not  even  proposed  my  taking  with 
me  either  Ned  or  Conseil. 

In  a  few  moments  we  had  put  on  our  diving-dresses;  they 
placed  on  our  backs  the  reservoirs,  abundantly  tilled  with  air, 
but  no  electric  lamps  were  prepared.  I  called  the  captain’s  at¬ 
tention  to  the  fact. 

“  They  wdll  be  useless,”  he  replied. 

I  thought  I  had  not  heard  aright,  but  I  could  not  repeat  my 
observation,  for  the  captain’s  head  had  already  disappeared  in 
its  metal  case.  I  finished  harnessing  myself,  I  felt  them  put  an 
iron-pointed  stick  into  my  hand,  and  some  minutes  later,  after 
going  through  the  usual  form,  we  set  foot  on  the  bottom  of  the 
Atlantic,  at  a  depth  of  150  fathoms.  Midnight  was  near.  The 
waters  were  profoundly  dark,  but  Captain  Nemo  pointed  out  in 
the  distance  a  reddish  spot,  a  sort  of  large  light  shining  brilliant' 
ly,  about  two  miles  from  the  Nautilus.  What  this  fire  might  be, 
what  could  feed  it,  why  and  how  it  lit  up  the  liquid  mass,  I 
could  not  say.  In  any  case,  it  did  light  our  way,  vaguely,  it  is 
true,  but  I  soon  accustomed  myself  to  the  peculiar  darkness, 
and  I  understood,  under  such  circumstances,  the  uselessness  of 
the  Ruhmkorff  apparatus. 

As  we  advanced,  I  heard  a  kind  of  pattering  above  my  head. 
The  noise  redoubling,  sometimes  producing  a  continual  shower,  I 
soon  understood  the  cause.  It  was  rain  falling  violently,  and 
crisping  the  surface  of  the  weaves.  Instinctively  the  thought 
flashed  across  my  mind  that  I  should  be  wet  through  !  By  the 
water !  in  the  midst  of  the  water  !  I  could  not  help  laugliing 
at  the  odd  idea.  But  indeed,  in  the  thick  diving  dress,  the 
liquid  element  is  no  longer  felt,  and  one  only  seems  to  be  in  an 
atmosphere  somewhat  denser  than  the  terrestrial  atmosphere. 
Nothing  more. 

After  half  an  hour’s  walk  the  soil  became  stony.  Medusse, 
microscopic  Crustacea,  and  pennatules  lit  it  slightly  with  theii 
phosphorescent  gleam.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  pieces  of  stone 
covered  with  millions  of  zoophytes  and  masses  of  sea-weed. 
My  feet  often  slipped  upon  this  viscous  carpet  of  sea-weed,  and 
without  my  iron-tipped  stick  I  should  have  fallen  more  tnai> 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  TUE  SEAS  281 

once.  In  turning  louncl,  I  could  still  see  the  wliitisli  lantern  of 
the  Nautilus  beginnmg  to  pale  in  the  distance. 

But  the  rosy  light  which  guided  us  increased  and  lit  up  the 
horizon.  The  presence  of  this  fire  under  water  puzzled  me  in 
the  highest  degree.  Was  it  some  electric  efihilgence  ?  Was  I 
going  towards  a  natural  phenomenon  as  yet  unknown  to  the 
savants  of  the  earth  ?  Or  even  (for  this  thought  crossed  my 
brain)  had  the  hand  of  man  aught  to  do  with  this  conflagration? 
Had  he  fanned  tlfis  flame?  Was  I  to  meet  in  these  depths  com¬ 
panions  and  friends  of  Captain  Nemo  whom  he  was  going  to 
visit,  and  who,  like  liim,  led  this  strange  existence?  Should  I 
find  down  there  a  wliole  colony  of  exiles,  who,  weary  of  the 
miseries  of  this  eartli,  had  nought  and  fomid  independence  in 
the  deep  ocean?  All  these  foolish  and  unreasonable  ideas  pur¬ 
sued  me.  And  in  this  condition  of  mind,  overexcited  by  the 
succession  of  wonders  continually  passing  before  my  eyes,  I 
should  not  have  been  surprised  to  meet  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sea  one  of  those  submarine  towns  of  which  Captain  Nemo 
di'eamed. 

Our  road  grew  lighter  and  lighter.  The  white  glimmer  came 
in  rays  from  the  summit  of  a  mountain  about  800  feet  high.  But 
what  I  saw  was  simply  a  reflection,  developed  by  the  clearness 
of  the  waters.  The  source  of  this  inexplicable  light  was  a  fire 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  mountain. 

In  the  midst  of  this  stony  maze,  furrowing  the  bottom  of  the 
Atlantic,  Captain  Nemo  advanced  without  hesitation.  He  knew 
this  dreary  road.  Doubtless  he  had  often  traveled  over  it,  and 
could  not  lose  himself.  I  followed  him  w  ith  unshaken  confi¬ 
dence.  He  seemed  to  me  like  a  genie  of  the  sea;  and,  as  he 
walked  beiwe  me,  I  could  not  help  admiring  his  stature,  which 
was  outlined  in  black  on  the  luminous  horizon. 

It  was  one  in  the  morning  when  we  arrived  at  the  first  slopes 
of  the  mountain ;  but  to  gain  access  to  them  we  must  venture 
through  the  difficult  paths  of  a  vast  copse. 

Yes;  a  coi)se  of  dead  trees,  without  leaves,  without  sap,  trees 
petrified  by  the  action  of  the  water,  and  here  and  there  over¬ 
topped  by  gigantic  pines.  It  was  like  a  coal  pit,  still  standing, 
holding  by  the  roots  to  the  broken  soil,  and  whose  branches, 


232  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

like  fine  black  paper  cuttings,  showed  distinctly  on  the  watery 
ceiling.  Picture  to  yourself  a  forest  in  the  Ilartz,  hanging  on 
to  the  sides  of  the  mountain,  but  a  forest  swallowed  up.  The 
paths  were  encumbered  with  sea-weed  and  fucus,  between 
which  grovelled  a  whole  world  of  Crustacea.  I  went  along, 
climbing  the  rocks,  striding  over  extended  trunks,  breaking  the 
sea  bind-weed,  which  hung  from  one  tree  to  the  other;  and 
frightening  the  fishes,  whicli  flew  from  branch  to  branch. 
Pressing  onward,  I  felt  no  fatigue.  I  followed  my  giude,  w1io 
was  never  tired.  Y/hat  a  spectacle  !  how  can  I  express  it?  how 
paint  the  aspect  of  those  woods  and  rocks  in  this  medium, — 
their -under  parts  dark  and  wild,  the  upper  colored  with  red 
tints,  by  that  light  which  the  reflecting  powers  of  the  waters 
doubled?  AVe  climbed  rocks,  which  fell  directly  after  with 
gigantic  bounds,  and  the  low  growling  of  an  avalanche.  To 
right  and  left  ran  long  dark  galleries,  where  sight  was  lost. 
Here  opened  vast  glades  which  the  hand  of  man  seemed  to  have 
worked;  and  I  sometimes  asked  myself  if  some  inhabitant 
of  these  submarine  regions  would  not  suddenly  appear  to 
me. 

But  Captain  Nemo  was  still  miounting.  I  could  not  stay  be¬ 
hind.  I  followed  boldly.  My  stick  gave  me  good  help.  A  false 
step  would  have  been  dangerous  on  the  narrow  passes  sloping 
down  to  the  sides  of  the  gulfs;  but  I  walked  with  firm  step, 
without  feeling  any  giddiness.  Now  I  jumped  a  crevice  the 
depth  of  which  would  have  made  me  hesitate  had  it  been  among 
the  glaciers  on  the  land ;  novr  I  ventured  on  the  unsteady  trunk 
of  a  tree,  thrown  across  from  one  abyss  to  the  other,  without 
looking  under  my  feet,  having  only  eyes  to  admire  the  wMd 
sites  of  this  region. 

There,  monumental  rocks,  leaning  on  their  regularly  cut 
bases,  seemed  to  defy  all  laws  of  equilibrium.  From  between 
their  stony  knees,  trees  sprang,  like  a  jet  under  heavy  pressure> 
and  upheld  others  which  upheld  them.  Natural  towers,  large 
scarps,  cut  perpendicularly,  like  a  “cmiain,”  inclined  at  an 
angle  which  the  laws  of  gravitation  could  never  have  tolerated 
in  terrestrial  regions. 

Two  hours  after  quittmg  the  Nautilus,  we  had  crossed  the  line 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  233 


of  trees,  and  a  hundred  feet  above  our  heads  rose  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  which  cast  a  shadow'  on  the  brilliant  irradiation  of 
the  opposite  slope.  Some  petrified  shrubs  ran  fantastically 
here  and  there.  Fishes  cot  up  under  our  feet  like  birds  in  the 
long  gruos.  The  massive  rocks  were  rent  with  impenetrable 
fractures,  Jeep  grottos,  and  unfathomable  holes,  at  the  bottom 
0^  wtiich  formidable  creatures  might  be  heard  moving.  My 
blood  curdled  when  I  saw  enormous  antemise  bloclfing  my  road, 
or  some  frightful  claw  closing  with  a  noise  in  the  shadow  of 
some  cavity.  Millions  of  luminous  spots  shone  brightly  in  the 
midst  of  the  darkness.  They  were  the  eyes  of  giant  Crustacea 
crouched  in  their  holes;  giant  lobsters  setting  themselves  up 
fike  halberdiers,  and  moving  their  claws  w  ith  the  clicking  somid 
of  pincers;  titanic  crabs,  pointed  like  a  gun  on  its  carriage; 
and  frightful-looking  poulps,  interweaving  ilieir  tentacles  like 
a  living  nest  of  serpents. 

We  had  now  arrived  on  the  first  platform,  where  other  sur¬ 
prises  awaited  me.  Before  us  lay  some  picturesque  ruins,  which 
oetrayed  the  hand  of  man,  and  not  that  of  the  Creator.  There 
w'ere  vast  heaps  of  stone,  amongst  which  might  be  traced  the 
vague  and  shadowy  forms  of  castles  and  temples,  clothed  with 
a  world  of  blossoming  zoophytes,  and  over  which,  instead  of  ivy, 
sea-w'eed  and  f  ucus  threw  a  thick  vegetable  mantle.  But  what 
was  this  portion  of  the  globe  which  had  been  swallowed  by 
cataclysms  ?  Who  liad  placed  those  rocks  and  stones  like  crom- 
leclis  of  pre-historic  times  ?  Where  was  I  ?  Whither  had  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo’s  fancy  hurried  me  ? 

I  would  fain  have  asked  him;  not  being  able  to,  I  stopped 
him,— I  seized  his  arm.  But  shaking  his  head,  and  pointing  to 
the  highest  point  of  the  mountain,  he  seemed  to  say, — 

“Come,  come  along;  come  higher  I” 

I  followed,  and  in  a  few  minutes  I  had  climbed  to  the  top, 
which  for  a  circle  of  ten  yards  commanded  the  whole  mass  of 
rock. 

I  looked  down  the  side  we  had  just  climbed.  The  mountain 
did  not  rise  more  than  seven  or  eight  hundred  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  plain ;  but  on  the  opposite  side  it  commanded  from 
twice  that  heigh-  the  depths  of  this  part  of  the  Atlantic.  My 


234  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS, 

eyes  ranged  far  over  a  large  space  lit  by  a  violent  fulguratioa 
In  fact,  the  mountain  w^as  a  volcano. 

At  fifty  feet  above  the  peak,  in  the  midst  of  a  rain  of  stones 
and  scorise,  a  large  crater  was  vomiting  forth  torrents  of  lava 
which  fell  in  a  cascade  of  fire  into  the  bosom  of  the  liquid  mass. 
Thus  situated,  this  volcano  lit  the  lower  plain  like  an  immense 
torch,  even  to  the  extreme  limits  of  the  horizon.  I  said  that  the 
submarine  crater  threw  up  lava,  but  no  flames.  Flames  require 
the  oxygen  of  the  air  to  feed  upon,  and  can  not  be  developed 
under  water;  but  streams  of  lava,  having  in  themselves  the 
principles  of  their  incandescence,  can  attain  a  white  heat,  fight 
vigorously  against  the  liquid  element,  and  turn  it  to  vapor  by 
contact. 

Rapid  currents  bearing  all  these  gases  in  diffusion,  and  tor¬ 
rents  of  lava,  shd  to  the  bottom  of  the  mountain  like  an  eruption 
of  Vesuvius  on  another  Terra  del  Greco. 

There,  indeed,  under  my  eyes,  ruined,  destroyed,  lay  a  town, 
—its  roofs  open  to  the  sky,  its  temples  fallen,  its  arches  dislo¬ 
cated,  its  columns  lying  on  the  ground,  from  which  one  could 
still  recognize  the  massive  character  of  Tuscan  architecture. 
Farther  on,  some  remains  of  a  giant  aqueduct;  here  the  high 
base  of  an  Acropolis,  with  the  floating  outline  of  a  Parthenon; 
there  traces  of  a  quay,  as  if  an  ancient  port  had  formerly  abutted 
on  the  borders  of  the  ocean,  and  disappeared  with  its  merchant- 
vessels  and  its  war-galleys.  Farther  on  again,  long  lines  of 
sunken  walls  and  broad  deserted  streets, — a  perfect  Pompeii 
escaped  beneath  the  waters.  Such  was  the  sight  that  Captain 
Nemo  brought  before  my  eyes. 

Where  was  I  ?  Where  was  I  ?  I  must  know  at  any  cost.  I 
tried  to  speak,  but  Captain  Nemo  stopped  me  by  a  gesture,  and 
picking  up  a  piece  of  chalk  stone,  advanced  to  a  rock  of  black 
basalt,  and  traced  the  one  word, 

Atlantis. 

What  a  light  shot  through  my  mind :  Atlantis,  the  ancient 
Meropis  of  Theopompus,  the  Atlantis  of  Plato,  that  continent 
denied  by  Origen,  Jamblichus,  D’Anville,  Malte-Brun,  and  Hum¬ 
boldt,  wh-o  placed  its  disappearance  amongst  tlie  legendary  tales 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  235 


admitted  by  Posidonius,  Pliny,  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  Tertul- 
lian,  Engel,  Buffon,  and  D’Avezac.  I  had  it  there  now  before 
my  eyes,  bearing  upon  it  the  unexceptionable  testimony  of  its 
catastrophe.  The  region  thus  engulfed  was  beyond  Europe, 
Asia,  and  Lybia,  beyond  the  columns  of  Hercules,  where  those 
powerful  people,  the  Atlantides,  lived,  against  whom  the  first 
wars  of  ancient  Greece  were  waged. 

Thus,  led  by  the  strangest  destiny,  I  was  treading  under  foot 
the  mountains  of  this  continent,  touching  with  my  hand  those 
ruins  a  thousand  generations  old,  and  contemporary  with  the 
geological  epochs.  I  was  walking  on  the  very  spot  where  the 
contemporaries  of  the  first  man  had  walked. 

Whilst  I  was  trying  to  fix  in  my  mind  every  detail  of  this 
grand  landscape.  Captain  Nemo  remained  motionless,  as  if 
petrified  in  mute  ecstasy,  leaning  on  a  mossy  stone.  Was  he 
dreaming  of  those  generations  long  since  disappeared?  Was 
he  asking  them  the  secret  of  human  destiny?  Was  it 
here  this  strange  man  came  to  steep  himself  in  historical 
recollections,  and  live  again  this  ancient  life, — he  w^ho  wanted 
no  modern  one?  What  would  I  not  have  given  to  know  his 
thoughts,  to  share  them,  to  understand  them  i  We  remained 
for  an  hour  at  this  place,  contemplating  the  vast  plain  under 
the  brightness  of  the  lava,  which  was  sometimes  wonderfully  in¬ 
tense.  Rapid  tremblings  ran  along  the  mountain  caused  by  in¬ 
ternal  bubblings,  deep  noises  distinctly  transmitted  through 
the  liquid  medium  were  echoed  with  majestic  grandeur.  At 
this  moment  the  moon  appeared  through  the  mass  of  waters, 
and  threw  her  pale  rays  on  the  buried  continent.  It  was  but  a 
gleam,  but  what  an  indescribable  effect !  The  captain  rose, 
cast  one  last  look  on  the  immense  plain,  and  then  bade  me  fol¬ 
low  liirn. 

We  descended  the  mountain  rapidly,  and  the  mineral  forest 
once  passed,  I  saw  the  lantern  of  the  Nautilus  shining  like  a 
star.  The  captain  walked  straight  to  it,  and  we  got  on  board 
as  the  first  rays  of  fight  whitened  the  surface  of  the  ocean. 


•  CHArTER  X. 

THE  SUBMAKINE  COAL-MINES.  * 

The  next  day,  the  20th  of  February,  I  awoke  very  late;  the 
fatigues  of  the  previous  night  had  prolonged  my  sleep  until 
eleven  o’clock.  I  dressed  quickly  and  hastened  to  hnd  the 
course  the  Nautilus  was  taking.  The  instruments  showed  it 
to  be  still  towards  the  south,  with  a  speed  of  twenty  miles  an 
hour,  and  a  depth  of  fifty  fathoms. 

The  species  of  fishes  here  did  not  differ  much  from  those  al¬ 
ready  noticed.  There  were  rays  of  giant  size,  five  yards  long, 
and  endowed  with  great  muscular  strength,  which  enabled 
tliem  to  shoot  above  the  waves;  sharks  of  many  kinds,  amongst 
others  a  giaucus  fifteen  feet  long,  with  triangular  sharp  teeth, 
and  whose  transparency  rendered  it  almost  invisible  in  the 
water;  brown  sagree;  humantins,  prism-shaped  and  clad  with  a 
tuberculous  hide;  sturgeons,  resembluig  their  congeners  of  the 
Mediterranean;  trumpet  syngnathes,  a  foot  and  a  half  long,  fur¬ 
nished  with  grayish  bladders,  without  teeth  or  tongue,  and  as 
supple  as  snakes. 

Amongst  bony  fish,  Conseil  noticed  some  blackish  makairas, 
about  three  yards  long,  armed  at  the  upper  jaw  with  a  piercing 
sword;  other  bright-colored  creatures,  known  in  the  time  of 
Aristotle  by  the  name  of  the  sea-dragon,  which  are  dangerous 
to  capture  on  account  of  the  spikes  on  their  back;  also  some 
coryphsenes  with  brown  backs  marked  with  little  blue  stripes, 
and  surrounded  with  a  gold  border;  some  beautiful  dorades; 
and  swordfish  four-and-twenty  feet  long,  swimming  m  troops, 
fierce  animals,  but  rather  herbivorous  than  carnivorous. 

About  four  o’clock,  the  soil,  generally  composed  of  a  thick 
mud  mixed  with  petrified  wood,  changed  by  degrees,  and  it  be- 

280 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  237 


came  more  stony,  and  seemed  strewn  with  conglomerate  and 
pieces  of  basalt,  with  a  sprinkling  of  lava  and  sulphurous 
obsidian.  I  thought  a  mountainous  region  was  succeeding  the 
long  plains;  and  accordingly,  after  a  few  evolutions  of  the 
Nautilus,  I  saw  the  southerly  horizon  blocked  by  a  high  wall 
which  seemed  to  close  all  exit.  Its  summit  evidently  passed 
the  level  of  the  ocean.  It  must  be  a  continent,  or  at  least  an 
island, — one  of  the  Canaries,  or  of  the  Cape  Verd  Islands.  The 
bearings  not  bemg  yet  taken,  perhaps  designedly,  I  was  igno¬ 
rant  of  our  exact  nosition.  In  any  case,  such  a  wall  seemed  to 
me  to  mark  the  limits  of  that  x4.tlantis,  of  wliich  we  nad  in  reality 
passed  over  only  the  smallest  part. 

Much  longer  should  I  have  remained  at  the  window,  admir¬ 
ing  the  beauties  of  sea  and  sky,  but  the  panels  closed.  At  this 
moment  the  Nautilus  arrived  at  the  side  of  this  high  perpendicu¬ 
lar  wall.  What  it  would  do,  I  could  not  guess.  I  returned  to 
my  room;  it  no  longer  moved.  I  laid  myself  down  with  the 
full  intention  of  waking  after  a  few  hours’  sleep ;  but  it  was  eight 
o’clock  the  next  c  when  I  entered  the  saloon.  I  looked  at 
the  manometer.  It  toi^  „:.e  that  the  Nautilus  was  floating  on 
the  surface  of  the  ocean.  Besides,  I  heard  steps  on  the  platform. 
I  went  to  the  panel.  It  was  open;  but  instead  of  broad  daylight, 
as  I  expected,  I  was  surrounded  by  profound  darkness.  Where 
were  we?  Was  I  mistaken?  Was  it  still  night?  No;  not  a 
star  was  shining,  and  night  has  not  tha  t  utter  darkness. 

I  knew  not  what  to  think,  when  a  voice  near  me  said, — 

“  Is  that  you,  Professor?” 

“x\h  !  Captain,”  I  answered,  “where  are  we?” 

“  Under  ground,  eir.” 

“  Under  ground  I”  I  exclaimed.  “  And  the  Nautilus  floating 
still?” 

“  It  always  floats.” 

“  But  I  do  not  understand. 

“  Wait  a  few  minutes,  our  lantern  will  be  lit,  and  if  you  like 
light  places,  you  will  be  satisfied.” 

I  stood  on  the  platform  and  waited.  The  darkness  was  so 
complete  that  I  could  not  even  see  Captain  Nemo;  but  looking 
to  the  zenith,  exactly  above  my  head,  I  seemed  to  catch  an  un- 


238  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEE  THE  SEAS. 

decided  gleam,  a  kind  of  twilight  filling  a  circular  hole.  At 
this  instant  the  lantern  was  lit,  and  its  vividness  dispelled  the 
faint  iight.  I  closed  my  dazzled  eyes  for  an  instant,  and  then 
looked  again.  The  Nautilus  was  stationary,  floating  near  a 
mountain  which  formed  a  sort  of  quay.  The  lake  then  sup¬ 
porting  it  was  a  lake  imprisoned  by  a  circle  of  walls,  measur¬ 
ing  two  miles  in  diameter,  and  six  in  circumference.  Its  level 
(the  manometer  showed)  could  only  be  the  same  as  the  outside 
level,  for  there  must  necessarily  be  a  communication  between 
the  lake  and  the  sea.  The  high  partitions,  leannig  forward  on 
their  base,  grew  into  a  vaulted  roof  bearing  the  shape  of  an 
immense  funnel  turned  upside  down,  the  height  being  about 
five  or  six  hundred  yards.  At  the  summit  was  a  circular  orifice, 
by  which  i  had  caught  the  slight  gleam  of  light,  evidently  day¬ 
light. 

“  Wliere  are  we?”  I  asked. 

“  In  the  very  heart  of  an  extinct  volcano,  the  interior  of  which 
has  been  invaded  by  the  sea,  after  some  greatxjonvulsion  of  the 
earth.  Whilst  you  were  sleeping,  Professor,  the  Nautiliip  pern 
etrated  to  this  lagoon  by  a  natural  canal,  which  opens  about  ten 
yards  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  This  is  its  harbor  ol 
refuge,  a  sm’e,  commodious,  and  mysterious  one.  sheLereu  from 
all  gales.  Show  me,  if  you  can,  on  the  coasts  g..  any  of  your 
continents  or  islands,  a  road  which  can  give  sucn  perfect  refuge 
from  all  storms.” 

“Certainly,”  I  replied,  “you  are  in  safety  here.  Captain  Nemo, 
Who  could  reach  you  in  the  heart  of  a  volcano?  But  did  I  not 
see  an  opening  at  its  summit?” 

“Yes;  its  crater,  formerly  filled  with  lava,  vapor,  and  flames, 
and  which  now  gives  entrance  to  the  life-giving  air  we  breathe.” 

“But  what  is  this  volcanic  mountain?” 

“  It  belongs  to  one  of  the  numerous  islands  with  which  this 
sea  is  strewn, —  to  vessels  a  simple  sand-bank, —  to  us  an  im¬ 
mense  cavern.  Chance  led  me  to  discover  it,  and  chance  served 
me  well.” 

“But  of  what  use  is  this  refuge.  Captain?  The  Nautilus 
wants  no  port.” 

“  No,  sir;  but  it  wants  electricity  to  make  it  move,  and  the 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


239 


wherewithal  to  make  the  electricity, — sodium  to  feed  the  ele¬ 
ments,  coal  from  which  to  get  the  sodium,  and  a  coal  -  mine  to 
supply  the  coal.  And  exactly  on  this  spot  the  sea  covers  entire 
forests  embedded  during  the  geological  periods,  now  mineral¬ 
ised,  and  transformed  into  coal;  for  me  they  are  an  inexhaust¬ 
ible  mine.” 

“Your  men  follow  the  trade  of  miners  here,  then.  Captain?” 

“  Exactly  so.  These  mines  extend  under  the  waves  like  the 
mines  of  Newcastle.  Here,  in  their  diving-dresses,  pickaxe  and 
shovel  in  hand,  my  men  extract  the  coal,  which  I  do  not  even 
',i3k  from  the  mines  of  the  earth.  When  I  burn  this  combusti- 
bie  for  the  manufacture  of  sodium,  the  smoke,  escaping  from 
tlie  crater  of  the  mountain,  gives  it  the  appearance  of  a  still 
active  volcano.” 

“And  we  shall  see  your  companions  at  work?” 

"  No;  not  this  time  at  least;  for  I  am  in  a  hurry  to  continue 
our  submarine  tour  of  the  earth.  So  I  shall  content  myself 
with  drawing  from  the  reserve  of  sodium  I  already  possess. 
Tlie  time  for  loading  is  one  day  only,  and  we  continue  our 
voyage.  So  if  you  wish  to  go  over  the  cavern,  and  make  the 
round  of  the  lagoon,  you  must  take  advantage  of  to-dr,3  ,  M. 
Aronnax.” 

I  thanked  the  captain,  and  went  to  look  for  my  companions, 
who  had  not  yet  left  their  cabin.  I  invited  diem  to  follow  me 
without  saying  where  we  were.  They  moimted  the  platform. 
Conseil,  who  was  astonished  at  nothing,  seemed  to  look  upon  it 
as  quite  natural  that  he  should  wake  under  a  mountain,  after 
having  fallen  asleep  under  the  waves.  But  Ned  Land  thought 
of  notliing  but  finding  whether  the  cavern  had  any  exit.  After 
breakfast,  about  ten  o’clock,  we  went  down  on  to  the  mountain. 

“  Here  we  are,  once  more  on  land,”  said  Conseil. 

“  I  do  not  call  this  land,”  said  the  Canadian.  “  And  besides, 
we  are  not  on  it,  but  beneath  it.” 

Between  the  walls  of  the  mountain  and  the  waters  of  the  lake 
lay  a  sandy  shore,  which,  at  its  greatest  breadth,  measured  five 
hundred  feet.  On  this  soil  one  might  easily  make  tire  tour  of 
the  lake.  But  the  base  of  the  high  partitions  was  stony  gromid, 
with  volcanic  blocks  and  enormous  pumice-stones  lying  in  pic- 


240  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

turesque  heaps.  All  these  detached  masses,  covered  with 
enamel,  polished  by  the  action  of  the  subterraneous  fires,  shonb 
resplendent  by  the  light  of  our  electric  lantern.  The  mica-dust 
from  the  shore,  rising  under  our  feet,  flew  hke  a  cloud  of 
sparks.  The  bottom  now  rose  sensibly,  and  we  soon  arrived  at 
long  circuitous  slopes,  or  inclined  planes,  which  took  us  liigher 
by  degrees;  but  we  were  obliged  to  walk  carefully  among  these 
conglomerates,  bound  by  no  cement,  the  feet  slipping  on  the 
glassy  trachyte,  composed  of  crystal,  felspar  and  quartz. 

The  volcanic  nature  of  this  enormous  excavation  was  con¬ 
firmed  on  all  sides,  and  I  pointed  it  out  to  my  companions. 

‘‘Picture  to  yourselves,”  said  I,  “what  this  crater  must  have 
been  when  filled  with  boiling  lava,  and  when  the  level  of  the 
incandescent  hquid  rose  to  the  orifice  of  the  momitain,  as  though 
melted  nn  the  top  of  a  hot  plate.” 

“  I  can  picture  it  perfectly,”  said  Conseil.  “  But,  sir,  will  you 
tell  me  why  the  Great  Architect  has  suspended  operations,  and 
how  it  is  that  the  furnace  is  replaced  by  the  quiet  waters  of  the 
lake?” 

“Most  probably,  Conseil,  because  some  convulsion  beneath 
the  ocean  produced  that  very  opening  which  has  served  as  a 
passage  for  the  Nautilus.  Then  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic 
rushed  mto  the  interior  of  the  mountain.  There  must  have 
been  a  terrible  struggle  between  the  two  elements,  a  struggle 
which  ended  in  the  victory  of  Neptune.  But  many  ages  have 
run  out  since  then,  and  the  submerged  volcano  is  now  a 
peaceable  gi-otto.” 

“Very  well,”  replied  Ned  Land;  “I  accept  the  explanation, 
sir;  but,  in  our  own  interest,  I  regret  that  the  opening  of  wdiich 
you  spetik  was  not  made  above  the  level  of  the  sea.” 

“  But,  friend  Ned,”  said  Conseil,  “  if  the  passage  had  not  been 
mrler  the  sea,  the  Nautilus  could  not  have  gone  through  it.” 

V/e  continued  ascending.  The  steps  became  more  and  more 
perpendicular  and  narrow.  Deep  excavations,  winch  we  were 
obliged  to  cross,  cut  them  here  and  there;  sloping  masses  had 
to  be  tmaied.  We  slid  upon  our  knees  and  crawled  along.  But 
Conseh’s  dexterity  and  the  Canadian’s  strength  surmounted  all 
obstacles,  ^t  a  height  of  about  tliirty-one  feet,  the  nature  of 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  24^ 


the  ground  changed  v:iihout  becoming  more  practicable.  To 
the  conglomerate  and  iiachyte  succeeded  black  basalt,  the  first 
dispread  in  layers  lull  oi  bubbles,  the  latter  forming  regular 
prisms,  placed  like  a  colonnade  supporting  the  spring  of  the 
immense  vault,  an  admirable  specimen  of  natural  architecture. 
Between  the  blocks  of  basalt  wound  long  streams  of  lava,  long 
since  grown  cold,  encrusted  with  bituminous  rays;  and  in  some 
places  there  w^ere  spread  large  carpets  of  sulphur.  A  more 
powerful  light  shone  through  the  upper  crater,  shedding  a 
vague  glimmer  over  these  volcanic  depressions  forever  buried  in 
the  bosom  of  this  extinguished  mountain.  But  our  upward 
march  was  soon  stopped  at  a  height  of  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  by  impassable  obstacles.  There  was  a  complete  vaulted 
arch  overhanging  us,  and  our  ascent  was  changed  to  a  circular 
walk.  At  the  last  change  vegetable  life  began  to  struggle  with 
the  mineral.  Some  shrubs,  and  even  some  trees,  grew  from  the 
walls.  I  recognized  some  euphorbias,  with  the  caustic  sugar 
coming  from  them;  heliotropes,  quite  incapable  of  justifying 
their  name,  sadly  drooped  their  clusters  of  flow^ers,  both  their 

V  _ 

color  and  perfume  half  gone.  Here  and  there  some  chrysanthe¬ 
mums  grew  timidly  at  the  foot  of  an  aloe  with  long  sickly-look- 
ing  leaves.  But  betw^een  the  streams  of  lava,  I  saw  some  little 
violets  still  slightly  perfumed,  and  I  admit  that  i  smelt  them 
with  delight.  Perfume  is  the  soul  of  the  flower,  and  sea-flow^ers, 
those  splendid  hydrophytes,  have  no  soul. 

We  had  arrived  at  the  foot  of  some  sturdy  dragon-trees, which 
had  pushed  aside  the  rocks  with  their  strong  roots,  when  Ned 
Land  exclaimed, — 

“  Ah  !  sir,  a  hive  !  a  hive  !  ” 

“  A  hive !  ”  I  replied  with  a  gesture  of  incredulity. 

“  Yes,  a  hive,”  repeated  the  Canadian,  “  and  bees  humming 
round  it.” 

I  approached,  and  was  bound  to  believe  my  own  eyes.  Tim  re, ^ 
at  a  hole  bored  in  one  of  the  dragon-trees,  were  some  thousam'.s 
of  these  ingenious  insects,  so  common  in  all  the  Canaries,  aji-  i 
whose  produce  is  so  much  esteemed.  Naturally  enouyh,  tli- 
Canadian  wished  to  gather  the  honey,  and  I  could  not  well  ex¬ 
pose  liis  wish.  A  quantity  of  dry  leaves,  mixed  with  euq>!iur, 
17 


242  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

he  lit  with  a  spark  from  his  flint,  and  he  began  to  smoke  out 
the  bees.  The  humming  ceased  by  degrees,  and  the  hive  event¬ 
ually  yielded  several  pounds  of  the  sweetest  honey,  with  which 
Ned  Land  filled  his  haversack. 

“  When  I  have  mixed  this  honey  with  the  paste  of  the  arto- 
carpus,”  said  he,  “  I  shall  be  able  to  offer  you  a  succulent  cake.” 

“  Upon  my  word,”  said  Conseil,  “  it  will  be  guigerbread.” 

“Never  mind  the  gingerbread,”  said  I;  “let  us  continue  our 
interesting  walk.” 

At  every  tui’n  of  the  path  we  were  following,  the  lake  ap¬ 
peared  in  all  its  length  and  breadth.  The  lantern  lit  up  the 
whole  of  its  peaceable  surface  which  knew  neither  ripple  nor 
wave.  The  Nautilus  remained  perfectly  iaunovable.  On  the 
platform,  and  on  the  mountain,  the  ship’s  crew  were  working 
like  black  shadows  clearly  carved  against  the  luminous  atmos¬ 
phere.  We  were  now  going  round  the  highest  crest  of  the  first 
layers  of  rock  which  upheld  the  roof.  I  then  saw  that  bees 
were  not  the  only  representatives  of  the  animal  kingdom  in^the 
interior  of  this  volcano.  Birds  of  prey  hovered  here  and  there 
in  the  shadows,  or  fled  from  their  nests  on  the  top  of  the  rocks. 
There  were  sparrow-hawks  with  white  breasts,  and  kestrels, 
and  down  the  slopes  scampered,  with  their  long  legs,  severai 
fine  fat  bustards.  I  leave  any  one  to  imagine  the  covetousness 
of  the  Canadian  at  the  sight  of  this  savory  game,  and  whether 
he  did  not  regret  having  no  gun.  But  he  did  his  best  to  re¬ 
place  the  lead  by  stones,  and  after  several  fruitless  attempts,  he 
succeeded  in  wounding  a  magnificent  bird.  To  say  that  he 
risked  his  life  twenty  times  before  reaching  it,  is  but  the  truth; 
but  he  managed  so  well,  that  the  creature  joined  the  honey 
cakes  in  his  bag.  We  were  now  obliged  to  descend  towards 
the  shore,  the  crest  becoming  impracticable.  Above  us  the 
crater  seemed  to  gape  like  the  mouth  of  a  well.  From  this 
place  the  sky  could  be  clearly  seen,  and  clouds,  dissipated  by 
the  west  wind,  leaving  behind  them,  even  on  the  summit  of  the 
mountain,  their  misty  remnants,— certain  proof  that  they  were 
only  moderately  high,  for  the  volcano  did  not  rise  more  than 
eight  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean.  Half  an  hour 
after  the  Canadian’s  last  exploit  we  had  regained  the  inner 


X  •< 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  243 

shore.  Here  the  flora  was  represented  by  large  carpets  of  ma¬ 
rine  crystal,  a  little  umbelliferous  plant  very  good  to  pickle, 
which  also  bears  the  name  of  pierce-stone,  and  sea-fonnel. 
Conseil  gathered  some  bundles  of  it.  As  to  the  fauna,  it  might 
be  comited  by  thousands  of  Crustacea  of  all  sorts,  lobsters, 
crabs,  palsemons,  spic  er-crabs,  chameleon  shrimps,  and  a  large 
number  of  shells,  rockfish,  and  limpets.  Three  quarters  of  an 
hour  later  we  had  finished  our  cucuitous  walk,  and  were  on 
board.  The  crew  had  just  finished  loading  the  sodium,  and  the 
Nautilus  could  have  left  that  instant.  But  Captain  Nemo  gave 
no  order.  Did  he  wish  to  wait  until  night,  and  leave  the  sub¬ 
marine  passage  secretly?  Perhaps  so.  Whatever  it  mfght  be, 
the  next  day,  the  Nautilus,  having  left  its  port,  steered  clear  of 
all  land  at  a  few  yards  beneath  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic. 


K 


7 


CHAPTER  XI. 


THE  SARGASSO  SEA. 

That  day  the  Nautilus  crossed  a  singular  part  of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  No  one  can  be  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  a  current 
of  waiTu  water,  known  by  the  name  of  the  Gulf  Stream.  After 
leaving  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  about  the  twenty-fifth  degree  of 
north  latitude,  this  current  divides  into  two  arms,  the  principal 
one  going  towards  the  coast  of  Ireland  and  Norway,  whilst  the 
second  bends  to  the  south  about  the  height  of  the  Azores;  then, 
touching  the  African  shore,  and  describing  a  lengthened  oval, 
returns  to  the  Antilles.  This  second  arm,  —it  is  rather  a  collar 
than  an  arm— surrounds  with  its  circles  of  warm  water  that 
portion  of  the  cold,  quiet,  immovable  ocean  called  the  Sargasso 
Sea,  a  perfect  lake  in  the  open  Atlantic;  it  takes  no  less  than 
three  years  for  the  great  current  to  pass  around  it.  Such  was 
the  region  the  Nautilus  was  now  visiting,  a  perfect  meadow,  a 
close  carpet  of  sea-weed,  fucus,  and  tropical  berries,  so  thick 
ana  so  compact  that  the  stem  of  a  vessel  could  hardly  tear  its 
way  thiK)ugh  it.  And  Captain  Nemo,  not  wishing  to  entangle 
his  screw  in  this  herbaceous  inass,  kept  some  yards  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  waves.  The  name  Sargasso  comes  from  the 
Spanish  word  “  sargazzo,”  which  signifies  kelp.  This  kelp  or 
varech,  or  berry-plant,  is  tlie  principal  formation  of  this  im¬ 
mense  bank.  And  this  is  the  reason,  according  to  the  learned 
Mamy,  the  author  of  “  The  Physical  Geography  of  the  Globe,” 
why  these  hydrophytes  unite  in  the  peaceful  basin  of  the  At¬ 
lantic.  The  only  explanation  .which  can  be  given,  he  says, 
seems  to  me  to  result  from  the  experience  known  to  all  the 
world.  Place  in  a  vase  some  fragments  of  cork  or  other  float¬ 
ing  body,  and  give  to  the  water  in  the  vase  a  circular  move- 

244 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  245 


merit,  the  scattered  fragments  wdil  unite  in  a  group  in  the  cen¬ 
ter  of  the  liquid  surface,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  part  least  agitated. 
In  the  phenomenon  we  are  considering,  the  Atlantic  is  the 
Tase,  the  Gulf  Stream  the  circular  current,  and  the  Sargasso 
Sea  the  central  point  at  whicli  the  floating  bodies  miite. 

I  share  Maury’s  opinion,  and  I  was  able  to  study  the  phO“ 
nomenon  in  the  very  midst,  where  vessels  rarely  penetrate. 
Above  us  floated  products  of  all  kinds,  heaped  up  among  these 
brownish  plants;  trunks  of  trees  torn  from  the  Andes  or  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  floated  by  the  Amazon  or  the  Mississippi; 
numerous  wrecks,  remains  of  keels,  or  ships’  bottoms,  side 
planks  stove  in,  and  so  weighted  with  shells  and  barnacles  that 
they  could  not  again  rise  to  the  surface.  And  time  will  one 
day  justify  Maury’s  other  opinion,  that  these  substances  thus 
accumulated  for  ages  will  become  petrified  by  the  action  of  the 
water,  and  will  then  form  inexhaustible  coal-mines,  —  a  pre¬ 
cious  reserve  prepared  by  far-seeing  nature  for  the  moment 
when  men  shall  have  exhausted  the  mines  of  continents. 

In  the  midst  of  this  inextricable  mass  of  plants  and  sea-w^eed, 
I  noticed  some  charming  pink  halcyons  and  actinise,  with  their 
long  tentacles  trailing  after  them;  medus®,  green,  red,  and 
blue,  an  ilie  great  rhyostomsof  Cuvier,  the  large  umbrella  of 
which  was  bordered  and  festooned  with  violet. 

All  the  day  of  the  22d  of  February  we  passed  in  the  Sargasso 
Sea,  where  such  fish  as  are  partial  to  marme  plants  and  fuci  Ihid 
abundant  nourishment.  The  next,  the  ocean  had  returned  to 
its  accustomed  aspect.  From  this  time  for  nineteen  days,  fi-om 
the  23d  of  February  to  the  12th  of  March,  the  Nautilus  kept  in 
the  middle  of  the  Atlantic,  carrying  us  at  a  constant  speed  of  a 
hundred  leagues  in  twenty-fom*  hours.  Captain  Nemo  evi¬ 
dently  intended  accomplishing  his  submarine  programme,  and 
I  imagined  that  he  intended,  after  doubling  Cape  Horn,  to  ie» 
turn  to  the  Australian  seas  of  the  Pacific.  Ned  Land  had  cause 
for  fear.  In  these  large  seas,  void  of  islands,  we  could  not  at¬ 
tempt  to  leave  the  boat.  Nor  had  we  any  means  of  opposing 
Captain  Nemo’s  will.  Our  only  course  was  to  submit;  but  what 
we  could  neither  gain  by  force  nor  cunning,  I  liked  to  think 
might  be  obtained  by  persuasion.  This  voyage  ended,  would 


24G  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

he  not  consent  to  restore  our  liberty,  under  an  oath  never  to  re¬ 
veal  his  existence?— an  oath  of  honor  which  we  should  have  re¬ 
ligiously  kept.  But  w^e  must  consider  that  delicate  question 
with  the  captain.  But  was  I  free  to  claim  this  liberty?  Had 
he  not  himself  said  from  the  beginning,  in  the  firmest  manner, 
that  the  secret  of  his  life  exacted  from  him  our  lasting  im¬ 
prisonment  on  board  the  Nautilus?  And  would  not  my  foui- 
months’  silence  appear  to  him  a  tacit  acceptance  of  our  situa¬ 
tion?  And  would  not  a  return  to  the  subject  result  in  raising 
suspicions  which  might  be  hurtful  to  our  projects  if  at  some 
future  time  a  favorable  opportunity  offered  to  return  to  them? 

During  the  nineteen  days  mentioned  above,  no  incident  of 
any  note  happened  to  signalize  our  voyage.  I  saw  little  of  the 
captain;  he  was  at  work.  In  the  library  I  often  found  his  books 
left  open,  especially  those  on  Natural  History.  My  work  on 
submarine  depths,  conned  over  by  him,  was  covered  with  mar¬ 
ginal  notes,  often  contradicting  my  theories  and  systems;  but 
the  captain  contented  himself  with  thus  purging  my  work;  it 
was  very  rare  for  him  to  discuss  it  with  me.  Sometimes  I  heard 
the  melancholy  tones  of  his  organ;  but  only  at  night,  in  the 
midst  of  the  deepest  obscurity,  when  the  Nautilus  slept  upon 
the  deserted  ocean.  During  tins  pa,rt  of  our  voyage  we  sailed 
whole  days  on  the  surface  of  the  waves.  The  sea  seemed  aban¬ 
doned.  A  few  sailing-vessels,  on  the  road  to  India,  were  making 
for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  One  day  we  were  followed  by  the 
boats  of  a  whaler,  who,  no  doubt,  took  us  for  some  enormous 
whale  of  great  price ;  but  Captain  Nemo  did  not  wish  the  worthy 
fellows  to  lose  their  time  and  trouble,  so  ended  the  chase  by 
plunging  under  the  water.  Our  navigation  continued  until  the 
13th  of  March;  that  day  the  Nautilus  vras  employed  in  taking 
soundings,  which  greatly  interested  me.  We  had  then  made 
about  13,000  leagues  since  our  departure  from  the  high  seas  of 
the  Pacific.  The  bearings  gave  us  45°  37'  south  latitude,  and 
37°  53  west  longitude.  It  was  the  same  water  in  which  Captain 
Denham  of  the  Herald  sounded  7,000  fathoms  without  finding 
tlie  bottom.  There,  too,  Lieutenant  Parker,  of  the  American 
frigate  Congi-ess,  could  not  touch  the  bottom  with  15,140  yards. 
Captain  Nemo  intended  seeldng  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  by  a 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  "HE  SEAS.  247 


diagonal  sufficiently  lengthened  by  means  of  lateral  planes 
placed  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  with  the  water-line  of 
the  Nautilus.  Then  the  screw  set  to  work  at  its  maximum  speed, 
its  four  blades  beating  the  waves  with  indescribable  force. 
Under  this  powerful  pressure  the  hull  of  the  Nautilus  quivered 
like  a  sonorous  chord,  and  sank  regularly  under  the  water. 

At  7,000  fathoms  I  saw  some  blackish  tops  rising  from  the 
midst  of  the  waters;  but  these  summits  might  belong  to  high 
mountains  like  the  Himalayas  or  Mount  Blanc,  even  higher;  and 
the  depth  of  the  abyss  remained  incalculable.  The  Nautilus  de¬ 
scended  still  lower,  in  spite  of  the  great  pressure.  I  felt  the  steel 
plates  tremble  at  the  fastenings  of  -  he  bolts ;  its  bars  bent ;  its 
partitions  groaned;  the  windows  of  the  saloon  seemed  to  curve 
under  the  pressure  of  the  waters.  And  this  firm  structure 
would  doubtless  have  yielded,  if  as  its  captain  had  said,  it  had 
not  been  capable  of  resistance  like  a  solid  block.  In  skirting 
the  declivity  of  these  rocks,  lost  under  the  water,  I  still  saw 
some  shells,  some  serpuho  and  spinorbes,  still  living,  and  some 
specimens  of  asteriads.  But  soon  this  last  representative  of 
animal  fife  disappeared ;  and  at  the  depth  of  more  than  three 
leagues,  the  Nautilus  had  passed  the  limits  of  submarine  exist¬ 
ence,  even  as  a  balloon  does  when  it  rises  above  the  respirable 
atmosphere.  "We  had  attained  a  depth  of  16,000  yards  (four 
leagues),  and  the  sides  of  the  Nautilus  then  bore  a  pressure  of 
1,600  atmospheres,  that  is  to  say,  3,200  pounds  to  each  square 
two-fifths  of  an  inch  of  its  surface. 

“  What  a  situation  to  be  in  !  ”  I  exclaimed.  “  To  overrun  these 
deep  regions  where  man  has  never  trod  !  I^ook,  Captain,  look 
at  these  magnificent  rocks,  these  uninhabited  grottos,  these 
lowest  receptacles  of  the  globe,  where  life  is  no  longer  possible  I 
Wliat  unknown  sights  are  here  !  Why  should  we  be  unable  to 
preserve  a  remembrance  of  them  ?  ” 

'‘Would  you  like  to  carry  away  more  than  the  remembrance  ?” 
said  Captain  Nemo. 

“What  do  you  mean  by  those  words  ?” 

“  I  mean  to  say  that  nothing  is  easier  than  to  take  a  photo¬ 
graphic  view  of  this  submarine  region.’’ 

I  had  not  time  to  express  my  surprise  at  this  new  proposition, 


,  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

when,  at  Captain  Nemo’s  call,  an  objective  was  brought  into  the 
saloon.  Through  the  widely  opened  panel,  the  hquid  mass  was 
bright  with  electricity,  wliich  was  distributed  with  such  uni¬ 
formity,  that  not  a  shadow,  not  a  gradation,  was  to  be  seen  in 
our  manufactured  hght.  The  Nautilus  remained  motionless 
the  force  of  its  screw  subdued  by  the  inclination  of  its  planes; 
the  instrument  was  propped  on  the  bottom  of  the  oceanic  site, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  we  had  obtained  a  perfect  negative.  I 
here  give  the  positive,  from  which  may  be  seen  those  primitive 
rocks,  which  have  never  looked  upon  the  light  of  heaven;  that 
lowest  granite  which  forms  the  foundation  of  the  globe;  those 
deep  grottos,  woven  in  the  stony  mass  whose  outlines  w^ere  of 
such  sharpness,  and  the  border  lines  of  which  are  marked  in 
black,  as  if  done  by  the  brush  of  some  Flemish  artist.  Beyond 
that  again  a  horizon  of  mountains,  an  admirable  undulating 
line,  foiming  the  prospective  of  the  landscape.  I  can  not  de¬ 
scribe  the  effect  of  these  smooth,  black,  polished  rocks,  without 
moss,  without  a  spot,  and  of  strange  forms,  standing  solidly  on 
the  sandy  carpet,  which  sparkled  under  the  jets  of  our  electric 
hglit. 

But  the  operation  being  over.  Captain  Nemo  said,  “  Let  us  go 
up;  we  must  not  abuse  our  position,  nor  expose  the  Nautilus 
too  long  to  such  great  pressure.” 

“  Go  up  again  !”  I  exclaimed. 

“  Hold  well  on.” 

I  had  not  time  to  understand  why  the  captain  cautioned  me 
thus,  when  I  was  thrown  forward  on  to  the  carpet.  At  a  signal 
from  the  captain,  its  screw  was  shipped,  and  its  blades  raised 
vertically;  the  Nautilus  shot  into  the  air  like  a  balloon,  rising 
with  stunning  rapidity,  and  cutting  the  mass  of  waters  with  a 
sonorous  agitation.  Nothing  was  visible;  and  in  four  minutes 
it  had  shot  through  the  four  leagues  which  separated  it  from 
the  ocean,  and,  after  emerging  like  a  flying-fish,  feU,  making 
the  waves  rebound  to  an  enormous  height. 


CHAPTER  XII 


CACHALOTS  AND  WHALES. 

During  the  nights  of  the  13th  and  14th  of  March,  the  Nauiv- 
lus  returned  to  its  southerly  course.  I  fancied  that,  when  on  n 
level  with  Cape  Horn,  he  would  turn  the  helm  westward,  n* 
order  to  heat  the  Pacific  seas,  and  so  complete  the  tour  of  tiv-' 
world.  He  did  nothing  of  the  kind,  but  continued  on  his  way 
to  the  southern  regions.  Where  was  he  going  to?  To  the  pole? 
It  was  madness  !  I  began  to  think  that  the  captain’s  temerity 
justified  Ned  Land’s  fears.  For  some  time  past  the  Canadian 
had  not  spoken  to  me  of  his  projects  of  flight;  he  was  less  com¬ 
municative,  almost  silent.  I  could  see  that  this  lengthened  im¬ 
prisonment  was  weighing  upon  him,  and  I  felt  that  rage  was 
burning  within  him.  When  he  met  the  captain,  his  eyss  lit  up 
with  suppressed  anger;  and  I  feared  that  his  natural  violence 
would  lead  him  into  some  extreme.  That  day,  the  14th  of 
March,  Conseil  and  he  came  to  me  in  my  room.  I  inquired  the 
cause  of  their  visit. 

“  A  simple  question  to  ask  you,  sir,”  replied  the  Canadian. 

“  Speak,  Ned.” 

“  How  many  men  are  there  on  board  the  Nautilus,  do  you 
think?” 

“I  can  not  tell,  my  friend.” 

“  I  should  say  that  its  working  does  not  require  a  large  crew.” 

“  Certainly,  under  existing  conditions,  ten  men,  at  the  most, 
ought  to  be  enough.” 

“  Well,  why  should  there  be  any  more?” 

“  Why?”  I  replied,  looking  fixedly  at  Ned  Land,  whose  mean¬ 
ing  was  easy  to  guess.  “Because,”  I  added,  “if  my  surmises 
are  correct,  and  if  I  have  weU  understood  the  captain’s  exist- 

24^ 


^50  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEASi. 

ence,  the  Nautilus  is  not  only  a  vessel,  it  is  also  a  place  of  refuge 
for  those  who,  like  its  commander,  have  broken  every  tie  upon 
earth.” 

“Perhaps  so,”  said  Conscil;  “but,  in  any  case,  the  Nautilus 
can  only  contain  a  certain  number  of  men.  Could  not  you,  sir, 
estimate  their  maximum?” 

“  How,  Conseii?’' 

“By  calculation;  given  the  size  of  the  vessel,  which  you 
know,  sir,  and  consequently  the  quantity  of  air  it  contains, 
knowing  also  how  much  each  man  expends  at  a  breath,  and 
comparing  these  results  with  the  fact  that  the  Nautilus  is 
obliged  to  go  to  the  surface  every  twenty-four  hours.” 

Conseii  had  not  tinished  the  sentence  before  I  saw  what  he 
was  driving  at. 

“I  understand,”  said  I;  “but  that  calculation,  though  simple 
enough,  can  give  but  a  very  uncertain  result.” 

“  Never  mind,”  said  Ned  Land,  urgently. 

“  Here  it  is,  then,”  said  I.  “  In  one  hour  each  man  consumes 
the  oxygen  contained  in  twenty  gallons  of  air;  and  in  twenty- 
four,  that  contained  in  480  gallons.  We  must,  therefore,  find 
how  many  times  480  gallons  of  air  the  Nautilus  contains.” 

“Just  so,”  said  Conseii. 

“  Or,”  I  continued,  “  the  size  of  the  Nautilus  being  1,500  tons, 
and  one  ton  holding  200  gallons,  it  contains  300,000  gallons  of 
air,  which,  divided  by  480,  gives  a  quotient  of  625.  Which  means 
to  say,  strictly  speaking,  that  the  air  contained  in  the  Nautilus 
would  suffice  for  625  men  for  twenty-four  hours.” 

“  Six  hundred  and  twenty-five  !”  repeated  Ned. 

“But  remember,  that  all  of  us,  passengers,  sailors,  and  officers 
Included,  would  not  form  a  tenth  part  of  that  number.” 

“  Still  too  many  for  three  men,”  murmured  Conseii. 

The  Canadian  shook  his  head,  passed  his  hand  across  his  fore¬ 
head,  and  left  the  room  without  answering. 

“  Will  you  allow  me  to  make  one  observation,  sir?”  said  Con- 
seiL  “  Poor  Ned  is  longing  for  every  thing  that  he  can  not  have. 
His  past  life  is  always  present  to  him  ;  every  thing  that  we  are 
forbidden  he  regrets.  His  head  is  full  of  old  recollections. 
A.nd  we  must  understand  him.  What  has  he  to  do  here? 


fW-ENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  25l 


Nothing;  he  is  not  learned  like  yon,  sh;  and  has  not  the  same 
taste  for  the  beauties  of  the  sea  that  we  have.  He  would  risk 
every  thing  to  be  able  to  go  once  more  into  a  tavern  in  his  own 
country.” 

Certainly  the  monotony  on  boaixl  must  seem  intolerable  to 
the  Canadian,  accustomed  as  he  was  to  a  life  of  liberty  and 
activity.  Events  were  rare  which  could  rouse  him  to  any  show 
of  spirit;  but  that  day  an  event  did  happen  which  recalled  the 
bright  days  of  the  harpooiier.  About  eleven  in  the  morning, 
being  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  the  Nautilus  fell  m  with  a 
troop  of  whales, —  an  encounter  which  did  not  astonish  me, 
knowing  that  these  creatures,  hunted  to  the  death,  had  taken 
refuge  in  high  latitudes.  We  were  seated  on  the  platform, 
wdth  a  quiet  sea.  The  month  of  October  m  those  latitudes 
gave  us  some  lovely  autumnal  days.  It  was  the  Canadian — lie 
could  not  be  mistaken  — who  signalled  a  whale  on  the  eastern 
horizon.  Looking  attentively,  one  might  see  its  black  back  rise 
and  fall  with  tho  waves  five  miles  from  the  Nautilus. 

“Ah!”  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  “if  I  was  on  board  a  whaler 
now,  such  a  meeting  would  give  me  pleasure.  It  is  one  of 
large  size.  See  with  what  strength  its  blow-holes  throw  up 
columns  of  air  and  steam  !  Confound  it,  why  am  I  bound  to 
these  steel  plates?” 

“What,  Ned,”  said  I,  “you  have  not  forgotten  your  old  ideas 
of  fishing?” 

“Can  a  whale-fisher  ever  forget  his  old  trade,  sir?  Can  he 
ever  tire  of  the  emotions  caused  by  such  a  chase?” 

“You  have  never  fished  in  these  seas,  Ned?” 

“Never,  sir;  in  the  northern  only,  and  as  much  in  Behring  as 
in  Davis  Straits.” 

“Then  the  southern  whale  is  still  unknown  to  you.  It  is  the 
Greenland  whale  you  have  hunted  up  to  this  time,  and  that 
would  not  risk  passing  through  the  warm  waters  of  the  equa¬ 
tor.  Whales  are  localized  according  to  their  kinds,  in  certain 
seas  which  they  never  leave.  And  if  one  of  these  creatures 
went  from  Behring  to  Davis  Straits,  it  must  be  simply  because 
there  is  a  passage  from  one  sea  to  the  other,  either  on  the  Amer¬ 
ican  or  the  Asiatic  side.” 


252  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEaOUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  In  that  case,  as  I  have  never  fished  in  these  seas,  I  do  not 
know  the  kind  of  whale  frequenting  them.” 

“  I  have  told  you,  Ned.” 

“  A  greater  reason  for  making  their  acquaintance,”  said  Conseil. 

“Look  !  look !”  exclaimed  the  Canadian,  “they  approach;  they 
aggravate  me;  they  know  that  I  can  not  get  at  them  !” 

Ned  stamped  his  feet.  His  hand  trembled,  as  he  grasped  an 
imaginary  harpoon. 

“  Are  these  cetacea  as  large  as  those  of  the  northern  seas  ?” 
asked  he. 

“  Very  nearly,  Ned.” 

“  Because  I  have  seen  large  whales,  sir,  whales  measuring  a 
hundred  feet.  I  have  even  been  told  that  those  of  HuUamoch 
and  Umgallick,  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  are  sometimes  a  hun¬ 
dred  and  fifty  feet  long.” 

“  That  seems  to  me  exaggeration.  These  creatures  are  only 
balsenopterons,  provided  with  dorsal  fins;  and,  like  the  cacha¬ 
lots,  are  generally  much  smaller  than  the  Greenland  whale.” 

“  Ah  !”  exclaimed  the  Canadian,  whose  eyes  had  never  left 
the  ocean,  “they  are  coming  nearer;  they  are  in  the  same 
water  as  the  Nautilus  !  ” 

Then  returning  to  the  conversation,  he  said, — 

“  You  spoke  of  the  cachalot  as  a  small  creature.  I  have  heard 
of  gigantic  ones.  They  are  intelligent  cetacea.  It  is  said  erf 
some  that  they  cover  themselves  with  sea-weed  and  f  ucus,  and 
then  are  taken  for  islands.  People  encamp  upon  them,  and 
settle  there;  light  a  fire  —  ” 

“  And  build  houses,”  said  Conseil. 

“  Yes,  joker,”  said  Ned  Land.  “  And  one  fine  day  the  creature 
plunges,  carrying  with  it  all  the  inhabitants  to  the  bottom  of 
the  sea.” 

“  Something  like  the  travels  of  Sinbad  the  Sailor,”  I  rephed, 
laughing. 

“Ah  !”  suddenly  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  “it  is  not  one  whale; 
there  are  ten, — there  are  twenty,— it  is  a  whole  troop !  And  I 
not  able  to  do  any  thing  !  hands  and  feet  tied  !  ” 

“  But,  friend  Ned,”  said  Conseil,  “  why  do  you  not  ask  Captain 
Nemo’s  permission  to  chase  them?” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


253 


Conseil  had  not  finished  his  sentence  when  Ned  Land  had 
lowered  himself  through  the  panel  to  seek  the  captain.  A  few 
minutes  afterwards  the  two  appeared  together  on  the  platform. 

Captain  Nemo  watched  the  troop  of  cetacea  playing  on  the 
waters  about  a  mile  from  the  Nautilus. 

“  They  are  southern  whales,”  said  he ;  “  there  goes  the  fortune 
of  a  whole  fleet  of  whalers.” 

••  Well,  sir,”  asked  the  Canadian.  “  can  I  not  chase  them,  if 
only  to  remind  me  of  my  old  trade  oi  narpooner?” 

“And  to  what  purpose?”  replied  Captain  Nemo;  “only  to 
destroy  !  We  have  nothing  to  do  with  whale-oil  on  board.” 

••  But,  sir,”  continued  the  Canadian,  “  in  the  Red  Sea  you 
allowed  us  to  follow  the  dugong.” 

“  Then  it  was  to  procure  fresh  meat  for  my  crew.  Here  it 
would  be  killing  for  killing’s  sake.  I  know  that  is  a  privilege 
reserved  for  man,  but  I  do  not  approve  of  such  murderous 
pastime.  In  destro}dng  the  southern  whale  (like  the  Greenland 
whale,  an  inoffensive  creature),  your  traders  do  a  culpable 
action.  Master  Land.  They  have  already  depopulated  the  whole 
of  Baffin’s  Bay,  and  are  annihilating  a  class  of  useful  animals. 
Leave  the  unfortunate  cetacea  alone.  They  have  plenty  of 
natural  enemies, — cachalots,  sword-fish,  and  saw-fish, — without 
your  troubling  them.” 

The  captain  was  right.  The  barbarous  and  inconsiderate 
greed  of  these  fishermen  will  one  day  cause  the  disappearance 
of  the  last  whale  in  the  ocean.  Ned  Land  whistled  “  Yankee 
Doodle  ”  between  his  teeth,  thrust  his  hands  mto  his  pockets, 
and  turned  his  back  upon  us.  But  Captain  Nemo  watched  the 
troop  of  cetacea,  and  addressing  me  said, — 

“I  was  right  in  saying  that  whales  had  natural  enemiea 
enough,  without  counting  man.  These  will  have  plenty  to  do 
before  long.  Do  you  see,  M.  Aronnax,  about  eight  miles  to 
leeward,  those  blackish  moving  points?” 

“Yes,  Captain,”  I  replied. 

“  Those  are  cachalots, — terrible  animals,  which  I  have  some¬ 
times  met  in  troops  of  two  or  three  hundred.  As  to  tTwse^  they 
are  cruel,  mischievous  creatures;  they  would  be  right  in  exter¬ 
minating  thero.” 


254  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS, 

The  Canadian  turned  quickly  at  the  last  words. 

“Well,  Captain,”  said  he,  “it  is  still  time,  in  the  interest  of 
the  whales.” 

“It  is  useless  to  expose  one’s  self,  Professor.  The  Nautilus 
will  disperse  them.  It  is  armed  with  a  steel  spur  as  good  as 
Master  Land’s  harpoon,  I  imagine.” 

The  Canadian  did  not  put  liimself  out  enough  to  shrug  his 
shoulders.  Attack  cetacea  with  blows  of  a  spur  I  Who  had 
ever  heard  of  such  a  thing? 

“Wait,  M.  Arronax,”  said  Captain  Nemo.  “  We  wiU  show  you 
something  you  have  never  yet  seen.  AVe  have  no  pity  for  these 
ferocious  creatures.  They  are  nothing  but  mouth  and  teeth.” 

Mouth  and  teeth  !  No  one  could  better  describe  the  macro¬ 
cephalous  cachalot,  which  is  sometimes  more  than  seventy-five 
feet  long.  Its  enormous  head  occupies  one  third  of  its  entire 
body.  Better  armed  than  the  whale,  whose  upper  jaw  is  fur¬ 
nished  only  with  whalebone,  it  is  supplied  with  twenty-five 
large  tusks,  about  eight  inches  long,  cylindrical  and  conical  at 
the  top,  each  weighing  two  pounds.  It  is  the  upper  part  of 
this  enormous  head,  in  great  cavities  divided  by  cartilages,  that 
is  to  be  found  from  six  to  eight  hundred  pounds  of  that  precious- 
oil  called  spermaceti.  The  cachalot  is  a  disagreeable  creature, 
more  tadpole  than  fish,  according  to  Fredol’s  description.  It  is 
badly  formed,  the  whole  of  its  left  side  being  (if  we  may  say  it) 
a  “  failure,”  and  being  only  able  to  see  with  its  right  eye.  But 
the  formidable  troop  was  nearmg  us.  They  had  seen  the 
whales  and  were  preparing  to  attack  them.  One  could  judge 
beforehand  that  the  cachalots  would  be  victorious,  not  only  be¬ 
cause  they  were  better  built  for  attack  than  their  inoffensive  ad¬ 
versaries,  but  also  because  they  could  remain  longer  under 
water  without  coming  to  the  surface.  There  was  only  just  time 
to  go  to  the  help  of  the  whales.  The  Nautilus  went  under 
water.  Conseil,  Ned  Land,  and  I  took  our  places  before  the 
window  in  the  saloop,  and  Captain  Nemo  joined  the  pilot  in 
his  cage  to  work  his  apparatus  as  an  engine  of  destruction. 
Soon  I  felt  the  beatings  of  the  screw  quicken,  and  our  speed 
increased.  The  battle  between  the  cachalots  and  the  whales 
had  already  begun  when  the  Nautilus  arrived.  They  did  not 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  255 


at  first  show  any  fear  at  the  sight  of  this  new  monster  joining 
in  the  conflict.  But  they  soon  had  to  guard  against  its  blows. 
What  a  battle  !  The  Nautilus  ’was  nothing  but  a  formidable 
liarpoon,  brandished  by  the  hand  of  its  captain.  It  hurled  it¬ 
self  against  the  fleshy  mass,  passing  through  from  one  part  to 
the  other,  leaving  behind  it  two  quivering  halves  of  the  animal. 
It  could  not  feel  the  formidable  blows  from  their  tails  upon  its 
sides,  nor  the  shock  which  it  produced  itself,  much  more.  One 
cachalot  killed,  it  ran  at  the  next,  tacked  on  the  spot  that  it 
might  not  miss  its  prej",  going  forwards  and  backwards, 
answering  to  its  helm,  plmiging  when  the  cetacean  dived  into 
the  deep  waters,  coming  up  ’with  it  when  it  retmned  to  the 
surface,  striking  it  front  or  sideways,  cutting  or  tearing  in  all 
directions,  and  at  any  pace,  piercing  it  ’with  its  terrible  spur. 
V/hat  carnage  !  What  a  noise  on  the  surface  of  the  waves  ! 
Y/hat  sharp  Iflssing,  and  what  snorting  peculiar  to  these  en¬ 
raged  animals  !  In  the  midst  of  these  waters  generally  so 
peaceful  their  tails  made  perfect  billows.  For  one  hour  this 
wholesale  massacre  continued,  from  which  the  cachalots  could 
not  escape.  Several  times  ten  or  twelve  united  tried  to  crush 
the  Nautilus  by  their  weight.  From  the  window  we  could  see 
their  enormous  mouths  studded  with  tusks,  and  their  formidable 
eyes.  Ned  Land  could  not  contain  himself,  he  threatened  and 
swore  at  them.  We  could  feel  them  clinging  to  our  vessel  like 
dogs  worrying  a  ’wild  boar  in  a  copse.  But  the  Nautilus,  work¬ 
ing  its  screw,  carried  them  here  and  there,  or  to  the  upper 
levels  of  the  ocean,  without  caring  for  their  enormous  weight, 
nor  the  powerful  strain  on  the  vessel.  At  length,  the  mass  of 
cachalots  broke  up,  the  waves  became  quiet,  and  I  felt  that  we 
were  rising  to  the  surface.  The  panel  opened,  and  we  hurried 
on  to  the  platform.  The  sea  was  covered  with  mutilated 
bodies.  A  formidable  explosion  could  not  have  divided  and 
tom  this  fleshy  mass  wdth  more  violence.  We  were  floating 
amid  gigantic  bodies,  bluish  on  the  back  and  white  under¬ 
neath,  covered  with  enormous  protuberances  Some  terrified 
cachalots  were  fljing  towards  the  horizon.  The  waves  were 
dyed  red  for  several  miles,  and  the  Nautilus  floated  in  a  sea  of 
blood.  Captain  Nemo  joined  us. 


256  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  Well,  Master  Land?  ”  said  he. 

“Well,  sir,”  replied  the  Canadian,  whose  enthusiasm  had 
somewhat  calmed;  “it  is  a  terrible  spectacle,  certainly.  But  I 
am  not  a  butcher.  I  am  a  hunter,  and  I  call  this  a  butchery.” 

“It  is  a  massacre  of  mischievous  creatures,”  replied  the  cap' 
tain;  “and the  Nautilus  is  not  a  butcher’s  knife.” 

“I  like  my  harpoon  better,”  said  the  Canadian. 

“  Every  one  to  his  own,”  answered  the  captain,  looking  fixedly 
at  Ned  Land. 

I  feared  he  would  commit  some  act  of  violence,  which  would 
end  in  sad  consequences.  But  his  anger  was  turned  by  the 
sight  of  a  whale  which  the  Nautilus  had  just  come  up  with. 
The  creature  had  not  quite  escaped  from  the  cachalot’s  teeth. 
I  recognized  the  southern  whale  by  its  flat  head,  which  is 
entirely  black.  Anatomically,  it  is  distinguished  from  the  white 
whale  and  the  North  Cape  whale  by  the  seven  cervical  vertebrae, 
and  it  has  two  more  ribs  than  its  congeners.  The  unfortunate 
cetacean  was  lying  on  its  side,  riddled  with  holes  from  the 
bites,  and  quite  dead.  From  its  mutilated  fin  still  hung  a  young 
whale  which  it  could  not  save  from  the  massacre.  Its  open 
mouth  let  the  water  flow  in  and  out,  murmiu’ing  like  the  waves 
breaking  on  the  shore.  Captain  Nemo  steered  close  to  the 
corpse  of  the  creature.  Two  of  his  men  mounted  its  side,  and 
I  saw,  not  without  surprise,  that  they  were  drawing  from  its 
^r«asts  all  the  milk  which  they  contained,  that  is  to  say,  about 
•‘wo  or  three  tons.  The  captain  offered  me  a  cup  of  the  milk, 
which  was  still  warm.  I  could  not  help  showing  my  repug¬ 
nance  to  the  drink;  but  he  assured  me  that  it  was  excellent, 
and  not  to  be  distinguished  from  cow’s  milk.  I  tasted  it,  and 
was  of  his  opinion.  It  was  a  useful  reserve  to  us,  for  in  the 
shape  of  salt  butter  or  cheese  it  would  form  an  agreeable 
variety  from  our  ordinary  food.  From  that  day  I  noticed  with 
uneasiness  that  Ned  Land’s  ill-will  towards  Captain  Nemo 
increased,  and  I  resolved  to  watch  the  Canadian’s  gestures 
closely- 


CHAPTER  XIII 


THE  ICEBERG. 

The  Nautilus  was  steadily  pursuing  its  southerly  course,  fol¬ 
lowing  the  fiftieth  meridian  with  considerable  speed.  Did  he 
wish  to  reach  the  pole?  I  did  not  think  so,  for  every  attempt 
to  reach  that  point  had  hitherto  failed.  Again  the  season  was 
far  advanced;  for  in  the  antarctic  regions  the  13th  of  March 
corresponds  with  the  13th  of  September  of  northern  regions, 
which  begin  at  the  equinoctial  season.  On  the  14th  of  March  I 
saw  floating  ice  in  latitude  55°,  merely  pale  bits  of  debris  from 
twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  long,  forming  banks  over  which  the 
sea  curled.  The  Nautilus  remained  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean. 
Ned  Land,  who  had  fished  in  the  arctic  seas,  was  familiar  with 
its  icebergs;  but  Conseil  and  I  admired  them  for  the  first  time. 
In  the  atmosphere  towards  the  southern  horizon  stretched  a 
white  dazzling  band.  English  whalers  have  given  it  the  name 
of  “  ice  blink.”  However  thick  the  clouds  may  be,  it  is  always 
visible,  and  announces  the  presence  of  an  ice  pack  or  bank. 
Accordingly,  larger  blocks  soon  appeared,  whose  brilliancy 
changed  with  the  caprices  of  the  fog.  Some  of  these  masses 
showed  green  veins,  as  if  long  undulating  lines  had  been  traced 
with  sulphate  of  copper;  others  resembled  enormous  ame¬ 
thysts  with  the  light  shining  through  them.  Some  reflected  the 
light  of  day  upon  a  thousand  crystal  facets.  Others  shaded 
with  vivid  calcareous  reflections  resembled  a  perfect  town  of 
marble.  The  more  we  neared  the  south,  the  more  these  float¬ 
ing  islands  increased  both  in  number  and  importance. 

At  the  sixtieth  degree  of  latitude,  every  pass  had  disappeared. 
But  seeking  carefully.  Captain  Nemo  soon  found  a  narrow 
opening,  through  which  he  boldly  slipped,  knowing,  however, 
18  257 


258  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

that  it  would  close  behind  him.  Thus,  guided  by  this  clever 
hand,  tht  Nautilus  passed  through  all  the  ice  with  a  precision 
which  quite  charmed  Conseil;  icebergs  or  mountains,  ice-fields 
or  smooth  plains,  seeming  to  have  no  limits,  drift  ice  or  floating 
ice-packs,  or  plains  broken  up,  called  valchs  when  they  are  cir¬ 
cular,  and  streams  when  they  are  made  up  of  long  strips.  The 
temperature  was  very  low;  the  thermometer  exposed  to  the  air 
marked  two  or  three  degrees  below  zero,  but  we  were  warmly 
clad  with  fur,  at  the  expense  of  fhe  sea  bear  and  seal.  The  in¬ 
terior  of  the  Nautilus,  warmed  regularly  by  its  electric  appa¬ 
ratus,  defied  the  most  intense  cold.  Besides,  it  would  only  have 
been  necessary  to  go  some  yards  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
waves  to  find  a  more  bearable  temperature.  Two  months 
earlier  we  should  have  had  perpetual  daylight  in  these  lati¬ 
tude;  but  already  we  had  three  or  four  hours  night,  and  by 
and  by  there  would  be  six  months  of  darkness  in  these  circum¬ 
polar  regions.  On  the  15th  of  March  we  were  in  the  latitude 
of  New  Shetland  and  South  Orkney.  The  captain  told  me  that 
formerly  numerous  tribes  of  seals  inhabited  them;  but  that 
English  and  American  whalers,  in  their  rage  for  destruction, 
massacred  both  old  and  young;  tlius  where  there  was  once  life 
and  animation,  they  had  left  silence  and  death. 

About  eight  o’clock  on  the  morning  of  the  l(>th  of  March,  the 
Nautilus,  following  the  fifty-fifth  meridian,  cut  the  antarctic  po¬ 
lar  circle.  Ice  surrounded  us  on  all  sides,  and  closed  the  hori¬ 
zon.  But  Captain  Nemo  went  from  one  opening  to  another,  still 
going  higher.  I  can  not  express  my  astonishment  at  the  beau¬ 
ties  of  these  new  regions.  The  ice  took  most  surprising  forms. 
Here  the  grouping  formed  an  Oriental  town,  with  innumerable 
mosques  and  minarets;  there  a  fallen  city  thrown  to  the  earth, 
as  it  were,  by  some  convulsion  of  nature.  The  whole  aspect 
was  constantly  changed  by  the  oblique  rays  of  the  sun,  or  lost 
in  the  grayish  fog  amidst  hurricanes  of  snow.  Detonations  and 
falls  were  heard  on  all  sides,  great  overthrows  of  icebergs,  which 
altered  the  whole  landscape  like  a  diorama.  Often  seeing  no 
exit,  I  thought  we  were  definitively  prisoners;  but  instinct  guid¬ 
ing  him  at  the  slightest  indication.  Captain  Nemo  would  dis¬ 
cover  a  new  pass.  He  was  never  mistaken  when  he  saw  the 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  259 


thin  threads  of  bluish  water  trickling  along  ihe  ice-fields  ;  and  I 
had  no  doubt  that  he  had  already  ventured  into  the  midst  of 
these  antarctic  seas  before.  On  the  Kith  of  March,  however,  the 
ice-fields  absolutely  blocked  our  road.  It  was  not  the  iceberg 
itself,  as  yet,  but  vast  fields  cemented  by  the  cold.  But  this  ob¬ 
stacle  could  not  stop  Captain  Nemo  :  he  hurled  himself  against 
it  with  frightful  violence.  The  Nautilus  entered  the  brittle  mass 
like  a  wedge,  and  split  it  with  frightful  crackings.  It  was  the 
battering-ram  of  the  ancients  hurled  by  infinite  strength.  The 
ice,  thrown  high  in  the  airf  fell  like  hail  around  us.  By  its  own 
power  of  impulsion  our  apparatus  made  a  canal  for  itself ; 
sometimes  carried  away  by  its  own  impetus  it  lodged  on  the  ice¬ 
field,  crushing  it  with  its  weight,  and  sometimes  buried  beneath 
it,  dividing  it  by  a  simple  pitching  movement,  producing  large 
rents  in  it.  Violent  gales  assailed  us  at  this  time,  accompanied 
by  thick  fogs,  through  which,  from  one  end  of  the  platform  to 
the  other,  we  could  see  nothing.  The  wind  blew  sharply  from 
all  points  of  the  compass,  and  the  snow  lay  in  such  hard  heaps 
that  we  had  to  break  it  with  blows  of  a  pickaxe.  The  temper¬ 
ature  was  always  at  five  degrees  below  zero;  every  outward 
part  of  the  Nautilus  was  covered  with  ice.  A  rigged  vessel 
could  never  have  worked  its  way  there,  for  all  the  rigging 
would  have  been  entangled  in  the  blocked-up  gorges.  A  vessel 
without  sails,  with  electricity  for  its  motive-power,  and  wanting 
no  coal,  could  alone  brave  such  high  latitudes.  At  length,  on 
the  18th  of  March,  after  many  useless  assaults,  the  Nautilus  was 
positively  blocked.  It  was  no  longer  either  streams,  packs,  or 
ice-fields,  but  an  interminable  and  immovable  barrier,  formed 

by  mountians  soldered  together. 

\ 

“An  iceberg  I  ”  said  the  Canadian  to  me. 

I  knew  that  to  Ned  Land,  as  well  as  to  all  other  navigators  who 
had  preceded  us,  this  was  an  inevitable  obstacle.  The  sun  ap¬ 
pearing  for  an  instant  at  noon.  Captain  Nemo  took  an  observa¬ 
tion  as  near  as  possible,  which  gave  our  situation  at  51'  30’ 
longitude  and  07°  39'  of  south  latitude.  We  had  advanced  one 
degree  more  in  this  antarctic  region.  Of  the  liquid  surface  of 
the  sea  there  was  no  longer  a  glimpse.  Under  the  spur  of  the 
Nautilus  lay  stretched  a  vast  plain,  entangled  with  confused 

i8 


260  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

I 

blocks.  Here  and  there  sharp  points,  and  slender  needles  rising 
to  a  height  of  200  feet ;  farther  on  a  steep  shore,  hewn  as  it 
were  with  an  axe,  and  clothed  with  grayish  tints  ;  huge  mir¬ 
rors,  reflecting  a  few  rays  of  sunshine,  half  drowned  in  the  fog. 
And  over  this  desolate  face  of  nature  a  stern  silence  reigned, 
scarcely  broken  by  the  flapping  of  the  wings  of  petrels  and 
pufQns.  Every  thing  was  frozen, — even  the  noise.  The  Nauti¬ 
lus  was  then  obliged  to  stop  in  its  adventurous  course  amid ' 
these  flelds  of  ice.  In  spite  of  our  efforts,  in  spite  of  the  power¬ 
ful  means  employed  to  break  up  tlje  ice,  the  Nautilus  remained 
immovable.  Generally,  when  we  can  proceed  no  farther,  we 
have  return  still  open  to  us  ;  but  here  return  was  as  impossible 
as  advance,  for  every  pass  had  closed  behind  us ;  and  for  the 
few  moments  when  we  were  stationary,  we  were  hkely  to  be 
entirely  blocked,  which  did,  indeed,  happen  about  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  the  fresh  ice  forming  around  its  sides  with 
astonishing  rapidity.  I  was  obliged  to  admit  that  Captain  Nemo 
was  more  than  imprudent.  I  was  on  the  platform  at  that  mo¬ 
ment.  The  captain  had  been  observing  our  situation  for  some 
time  past,  when  he  said  to  me,  — 

“Well,  sir,  what  do  you  think  of  this  ?” 

“I  think  that  we  are  caught,  Captain.” 

“So,  M.  Aronnax,  you  reaUy  think  that  the  Nautilus  can  not 
disengage  itself  ?  ” 

“  With  difficulty.  Captain  ;  for  the  season  is  ah'eady  too  far 
advanced  for  you  to  reckon  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice.” 

“Ah  !  sir,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  in  an  ironical  tone,  “you  will 
always  be  the  same.  You  see  nothing  but  difficulties  and  obsta¬ 
cles.  I  affirm  that  not  only  can  the  Nautilus  disengage  itself, 
but  also  that  it  can  go  farther  still.” 

“Farther  to  the  south?”  I  asked,  looking  at  the  captain. 

“Yes,  sir;  it  shall  go  to  the  pole.” 

“  To  the  pole !”  I  exclaimed,  unable  to  repress  a  gesture  of 
increduhty. 

“  Yes,”  rephed  the  captain,  coldly,  “  to  the  antarctic  pole,  to 
that  unknown  point  from  whence  springs  every  meridian  of 
the  globe.  You  know  whether  I  can  do  as  I  please  with  the 
Nautilus  I  ” 


twenty  thousand  leagues  under  the  seas.  S61 


Yes,  I  knew  that.  I  knew  that  this  man  was  hold,  even  to 
rashness.  But  to  conquer  those  obstacles  wliich  bristled  round 
the  south  pole,  rendering  it  more  inaccessible  than  the  north, 
which  had  not  yet  been  reached  by  the  boldest  navigators, — was 
it  not  a  mad  enterprise,  one  which  only  a  maniac  would  have 
conceived?  It  then  came  into  my  head  to  ask  Captain  Nemo  if 
he  had  ever  discovered  that  pole  wliich  had  never  yet  been 
trodden  by  a  human  creature. 

“  No,  sir,”  he  replied ;  “  but  we  will  discover  it  together.  'W'  here 
others  have  failed,  I  wiU  not  fail.  I  have  never  yet  led  my 
Nautilus  so  far  into  southern  seas;  but,  I  repeat,  it  shall  go 
faither  yet.” 

“  I  can  well  believe  you.  Captain,”  said  I,  in  a  slightly  ironical 
tone.  “I  believe  you !  Let  us  go  ahead !  There  are  no  obsta¬ 
cles  for  us!  Let  us  smash  this  iceberg!  Let  us  blow  it  up; 
and  if  it  resists,  let  us  give  the  Nautilus  wings  to  fly  over  it !” 

“Over  it, sir!”  said  Captain  Nemo,  quietly;  “no, not  over  it, 
but  under  it !” 

“  Under  it !”  I  exclaimed,  a  sudden  idea  of  the  captain’s  pro¬ 
jects  flashing  upon  my  mind.  I  understood  the  wonderful 
qualities  of  the  Nautilus  were  going  to  serve  us  in  this  super¬ 
human  enterprise. 

“  I  see  we  are  beginning  to  understand  one  another,  sir,”  said 
the  captain,  half  smiling.  “  You  begin  to  see  the  possibility— I 
should  say  the  success — of  this  attempt.  Tiiat  which  is  impos¬ 
sible  for  an  ordinary  vessel,  is  easy  to  the  Nautilus.  If  a  conti¬ 
nent  lies  before  the  pole,  it  must  stop  before  the  continent;  but 
if,  on  the  contrary,  the  pole  is  washed  by  open  sea,  it  will  go 
even  to  the  pole.” 

“Certainly,”  said  I,  carried  away  by  the  captain’s  reasoning; 
“  if  the  surface  of  the  sea  is  solidified  by  the  ice,  the  lower 
depths  are  free  by  the  providential  law  which  has  placed  the 
maximum  of  density  of  the  waters  of  the  ocean  one  degree 
higher  than  freezing  point;  and,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  the 
portion  of  this  iceberg  which  is  above  the  water  is  as  one  tc 
four  to  that  which  is  below.” 

“Very  nearly,  sir;  for  one  foot  of  iceberg  above  the  sea  there 
are  three  below  it.  If  these  ice  mountains  are  not  more  than 


262  Tv^ENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

300  feet  above  the  surface,  they  are  not  more  than  900  beneath. 
And  what  are  900  feet  to  the  Nautilus?” 

“  Nothing,  sir.” 

“  It  could  even  seek  at  greater  depths  that  uniform  tempera¬ 
ture  of  sea- water,  and  there  brave  with  impunity  the  thirty  or 
forty  degr<4ies  of  surface  cold.” 

“Just  so,  sir, —  just  so,”  I  replied,  getting  animated. 

“  The  only  difficulty,”  continued  Captain  Nemo,  “  is  that  of 
remaining  several  days  without  renewing  our  provision  of  air.” 

“Is  that  all?  The  Nautilus  has  vast  reservoirs;  we  can  fill 
them,  and  they  will  supply  us  with  all  the  oxygen  we  want.” 

“Well  thought  of,  M.  Aronnax,”  replied  the  captain,  smiling. 
“  But  not  wishing  you  to  accuse  me  of  rashness,  1  will  first  give 
you  all  my  objections.” 

“Have  you  any  more  to  make?” 

“  Only  one.  It  is  possible,  if  the  sea  exists  at  the  south  pole, 
that  it  may  be  covered;  and,  consequently,  we  shall  be  unable 
to  come  to  the  surface.” 

“Good,  sir  !  but  do  you  forget  that  the  Nautilus  is  armed  with 
a  powerful  spur,  and  could  we  not  send  it  diagonally  against 
these  fields  of  ice,  which  would  open  at  the  shock.” 

“Ah  !  sir,  you  are  full  of  ideas  to-day.” 

“Besides,  Captain,”  I  added,  enthusiastically,  “why  should  we 
not  find  the  sea  open  at  the  south  pole  as  well  as  at  the  north? 
The  frozen  poles  and  the  poles  of  the  earth  do  not  coincide, 
either  in  the  southern  or  in  the  northern  regions;  and,  until  it 
is  proved  to  the  contrary,  we  may  suppose  either  a  continent  or 
an  ocean  free  from  ice  at  these  two  points  of  the  globe.” 

“  I  think  so  too,  M.  Aronnax,”  replied  Captain  Nemo.  “  I  only 
wish  you  to  observe  that,  after  having  made  so  many  objections 
to  my  project,  you  are  now  crushing  me  with  arguments  in  its 
favor !  ” 

The  preparations  for  this  audacious  attempt  now  began.  The 
powerful  pumps  of  the  Nautilus  were  working  air  into  the  res¬ 
ervoirs  and  storing  it  at  high  pressure.  About  four  o’clock 
Captain  Nemo  announced  the  closing  of  the  panels  on  the  plat¬ 
form.  I  threw  one  last  look  at  the  massive  iceberg  which  we 
were  going  to  cross.  The  weather  was  clear,  the  atmosphere 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  263 


pure  enough,  the  cold  very  great,  being  twelve  degrees  below 
zero;  but  the  wind  having  gone  down,  this  temperature  was  not 
so  unbearable.  About  ten  men  mounted  the  sides  of  the  Nautilus, 
armed  with  pickaxes  to  break  the  ice  around  the  vessel,  which 
was  soon  free.  The  operation  was  quickly  performed,  for  the 
fresh  ice  was  still  very  thin.  We  all  went  below.  The  usual 
reservoirs  were  filled  with  the  newly  liberated  water,  and  the 
Nautilus  soon  descended.  I  had  taken  my  place  with  Conseil 
in  the  saloon ;  through  the  open  window  we  could  see  the  lower 
beds  of  the  Southern  Ocean.  The  thermometer  went  up,  tha 
needle  of  the  compass  deviated  on  the  dial.  At  about  900  feet, 
as  Captain  Nemo  had  foreseen,  we  were  floating  beneath  tho 
undulating  bottom  of  the  iceberg.  But  the  Nautilus  went  lov/et 
still, — it  went  to  the  depth  of  four  hundred  fathoms.  The  tem¬ 
perature  of  the  water  at  the  surface  showed  twelve  degrees,  it 
was  now  only  ten;  we  had  gained  two.  I  need  not  say  the 
temperature  of  the  Nautilus  was  raised  by  its  heating  apparatus 
to  a  much  higher  degree;  every  manoeuvre  was  accomplished 
with  wonderful  precision. 

“  We  shall  pass  it,  if  you  please,  sir,”  said  Conseil. 

“  I  believe  we  shall,”  I  said,  in  a  tone  of  firm  conviction. 

In  tins  open  sea,  the  Nautilus  had  taken  its  course  direct  to  the 
pole,  without  leaving  the  fifty-second  meridian.  From  67‘  30' 
to  90%  twenty-two  degrees  and  a  half  of  latitude  remained  to 
travel;  that  is,  about  five  hundred  leagues.  The  Nautilus  kept 
up  a  mean  speed  of  twenty-six  miles  an  hour, — the  speed  of  an 
express  train.  If  that  was  kept  up,  in  forty  hours  we  should 
reach  the  pole. 

For  a  part  of  the  night  the  novelty  of  the  situation  kept  us  at 
the  window.  The  sea  was  lit  with  the  electric  lantern ;  but  it 
was  deserted;  fishes  did  not  sojourn  in  these  imprisoned  waters; 
they  only  found  there  a  passage  to  take  them  from  the  antarctic 
ocean  to  the  open  polar  sea.  Our  progress  was  raxjid;  we  could 
feel  by  the  quivering  of  the  long  steel  body.  About  two  in  the 
morning,  I  took  some  hours’  repose,  and  Conseil  did  the  same. 
In  crossing  the  waist  I  did  not  meet  Captain  Nerao:  I  supposed 
him  to  be  in  the  pilot’s  cage.  The  next  morning,  the  19th  of 
March,  I  took  my  post  once  more  in  the  oaloon.  The  electric  log 


264  TYfENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

told  me  that  the  speed  of  the  Nautilus  had  been  slackened.  It 
was  then  going  towards  the  surface,  but  prudently  emptying 
its  reservoirs  very  slowly.  My  heart  beat  fast.  Were  we  going 
to  emerge  and  regain  the  open  polar  atmosphere?  No  !  A  shock 
told  me  that  the  Nautilus  had  struck  the  bottom  of  the  iceberg, 
stiil  very  thick,  judging  from  tlie  deadened  sound.  We  had  in¬ 
deed  “  struck,”  to  use  a  sea  expression,  but  in  an  inverse  sense, 
and  at  a  thousand  feet  deep.  This  would  give  three  thousand  feet 
of  ice  above  us;  one  thcusaiid  being  above  the  water-mark.  The 
iceberg  was  iheii  higher  than  at  its  borders, — not  a  very  reassur¬ 
ing  fact.  Several  times  that  day  the  Nautilus  tried  again,  and 
every  time  it  struck  the  wall  which  lay  like  a  ceiling  above  us. 
Sometimes  it  met  with  but  900  yards,  only  200  of  wliich  rose 
above  the  surface.  It  was  twice  the  height  it  was  when  the  Nau¬ 
tilus  had  gone  under  the  waves.  I  carefully  noted  the  different 
depths,  and  thus  obtained  a  submarine  profile  of  the  chain  as  it 
was  developed  under  the  water.  That  night  no  change  had 
taken  place  in  our  situation.  Stili  ice  between  four  and  five 
hundred  yards  in  depths !  It  was  evidently  diminishing,  but 
still  what  a  thickness  between  us  and  the  surface  of  the  ocean  I 
It  was  then  eight.  According  to  the  daily  custom  on  board  the 
Nautilus,  its  air  should  have  been  renewed  four  hours  ago ;  but 
I  did  not  suffer  much,  although  Captain  Nemo  had  not  yet  made 
any  demand  upon  his  reserve  of  oxygen.  My  sleep  was  painful 
that  night;  hope  and  fear  besieged  me  by  turns  :  I  rose  several 
times.  The  groping  of  the  Nautilus  continued.  About  three  in 
the  morning,  I  noticed  that  the  lower  surface  of  the  iceberg 
was  only  about  fifty  feet  deep.  One  hundred  and  fifty  feet  now 
separated  us  from  the  surface  of  the  waters.  The  iceberg  was 
by  degrees  becoming  an  ice-field,  the  mountain  a  plain.  My 
eyes  never  left  the  manometer.  We  were  still  rising  diagonally 
to  the  surface,  which  sparkled  under  the  electric  raj's.  The  ice¬ 
berg  was  stretching  both  above  and  beneath  into  lengthening 
slopes;  mile  after  mile  it  was  getting  thinner.  At  length,  at  six 
m  the  morning  of  that  memorable  daj^,  the  19th  of  March,  the 
door  of  the  saloon  opened,  and  Captain  Nemo  appeared. 

“  The  sea  is  open  !  ”  was  all  he  said. 


CHAPTER  XrV 


THE  SOUTH  POLE. 

I  RUSHED  on  to  the  platform.  Yes  !  the  open  sea,  with  but  a 
few  scattered  pieces  of  ice  and  moving  icebergs;— a  long  stretch 
of  sea;  a  world  of  birds  in  the  air,  and  myriads  of  fishes  under 
those  waters,  which  varied  from  intense  blue  to  olive  green, 
according  to  the  bottom.  The  thermometer  marked  three  de¬ 
grees  centigrade  above  zero.  It  was  comparatively  spring,  shut 
up  as  we  were  behind  this  iceberg,  whose  lengthened  mass  was 
dimly  seen  on  our  northern  horizon. 

“Are  we  at  the  pole?”  I  asked  the  captain,  with  a  beating 
heart. 

“  I  do  not  know,”  he  replied.  “  At  noon  I  will  take  our  bear¬ 
ings.” 

“  But  will  the  sun  show  himself  through  this  fog?”  said  I,  look¬ 
ing  at  the  leaden  sky. 

“  However  little  it  shows,  it  will  be  enough,”  replied  the  cap¬ 
tain. 

About  ten  miles  south,  a  solitary  island  rose  to  a  height  of 
one  hundred  and  four  yards.  We  made  for  it,  but  carefully,  for 
the  sea  might  be'  strewn  with  banks.  One  hour  afterwards  we 
had  reached  it,  two  hours  later  we  had  made  the  round  of  it.  It 
measured  four  or  five  miles  in  circumference.  A  narrow  canal 
separated  it  from  a  considerable  stretch  of  land,  perhaps  a  con¬ 
tinent,  for  w’e  could  not  see  its  limits.  The  existence  of  this 
land  seemed  to  give  some  color  to  Maury’s  hypothesis.  The  in¬ 
genious  American  has  remarked,  that  between  the  south  pole 
and  the  sixtieth  parallel,  the  sea  is  covered  with  floating  ice  of 
enormous  size,  which  is  never  met  with  in  the  Nortli  Atlantic. 
From  this  fact  he  has  drawn  the  conclusion  that  the  antarctic 

205 


266  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

circle  encloses  considerable  continents,  as  icebergs  can  not  form 
in  open  sea,  but  only  on  the  coasts.  According  to  these  calcula¬ 
tions,  the  mass  of  ice  surrounding  the  southern  pole  forms  a 
vast  cap,  the  circumference  of  which  must  be,  at  least,  2,500 
miles.  But  the  Nautilus,  for  fear  of  running  agi’ound,  had 
stopped  about  three  cables’  length  from  a  strand  over  which 
reared  a  superb  heap  of  rocks.  The  boat  was  launched;  the 
captain,  two  of  Ms  men  bearing  instruments,  Conseil  and  myself, 
were  in  it.  It  was  ten  in  the  morning.  I  had  not  seen  Ned 
Land.  Doubtless  the  Canadian  did  not  wish  to  admit  the  pres¬ 
ence  of  the  south  pole.  A  few  strokes  of  the  oar  brought  us  to 
the  sand,  where  we  ran  ashore.  Conseil  was  going  to  jump  on 
to  the  land,  when  I  held  him  back. 

“  Sir,”  said  I  to  Captain  Nemo,  “  to  you  belongs  the  honor  of 
first  setting  foot  on  this  land.” 

“  Yes,  sir,”  said  the  captain;  “  and  if  I  do  not  hesitate  to  tread 
this  south  pole,  it  is  because,  up  to  tMs  time,  no  human  being 
has  left  a  trace  there.” 

Saying  this,  he  jumped  lightly  on  to  the  sand.  His  heart  beat 
with  emotion.  He  climbed  a  rock,  sloping  to  a  little  p^^omon- 
tory;  and  there,  with  his  arms  crossed,  mute  and  motionless, 
and  with  an  eager  look,  he  seemed  to  take  possession  of  these 
southern  regions.  After  five  minutes  passed  in  tMs  ecstasy,  he 
turned  to  us. 

“  When  you  like,  sir.” 

I  landed,  followed  by  Conseil,  leaving  the  two  men  in  the  boat. 
For  a  long  way  the  soil  was  composed  of  a  reddish,  sandy  stone, 
something  like  crushed  brick,  scoriae,  streams  of  lava,  and 
pumice-stones.  One  could  not  mistake  its  volcanic  origin.  In 
some  parts,  shght  curls  of  smoke  emitted  a  sulphurous  smell, 
proving  that  the  internal  fires  had  lost  notMng  of  their  expan¬ 
sive  powers,  though,  having  climbed  a  high  acclivity,  I  could 
see  no  volcano  for  a  radius  of  several  miles.  We  know  that  in 
those  antarctic  countries,  James  Ross  found  two  craters,  the 
Erebus  and  Terror,  in  full  activity,  on  the  167th  meridian,  lati¬ 
tude  77°  32  ’.  The  vegetation  of  this  desolate  continent  seemed 
to  be  much  restricted.  Some  lichens  of  the  species  usnea  me- 
lanoxantha  lay  upon  the  black  rocks;  some  microscopic  plants, 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  267 


rudimentary  diatomas,  a  kind  of  cells,  placed  between  two  quartz 
shells;  long  purple  and  scarlet  fucus,  supported  on  little  swim¬ 
ming  bladders,  wliich  the  breaking  of  the  waves  brought  to  the 
shore.  These  constituted  the  meagre  flora  of  this  region.  The 
shore  was  strewn  with  molluscs,  little  mussels,  limpets,  smooth 
bucards  in  the  shape  of  a  heart,  and  particularly  some  clios,  with 
oblong  membraneous  bodies,  the  head  of  which  was  formed  of 
two  rounded  lobes.  I  also  saw  myriads  of  northern  clios,  one  and 
a  quarter  inches  long,  of  which  a  whale  would  swallow  a  whole 
world  at  a  mouthful;  and  some  charming  pteropods,  perfect  sea- 
butteriiies,  animating  the  waters  on  the  skirts  of  the  shore. 

Amongst  other  zoophytes,  there  appeared  on  the  high  bottoms 
some  coral  shrubs,  of  that  kind  which,  according  to  James 
Ross,  live  in  the  antarctic  seas  to  the  depth  of  more  than  1,000 
yards.  Then  there  were  little  kingfishers,  belonging  to  the 
species  procellaria  pelagica,  as  well  as  a  large  number  of  aste- 
riads,  peculiar  to  these  climates,  and  starfish  studding  the  soil. 
But  where  life  abounded  most  was  in  the  air.  There  thousands 
of  birds  fluttered  and  flew  of  all  kinds,  deafening  us  with  their 
cries;  others  crowded  the  rocks,  looking  at  us  as  wo  passed  by 
without  fear,  and  pressing  familiarly  close  by  our  feet.  There 
were  penguins,  so  agile  in  the  water  that  they  have  been  taken 
for  the  rapid  bonitos,  heavy  and  awkward  as  they  are  on  the 
ground*  they  were  uttering  harsh  cries,  a  large  assembly, 
sober  in  gesture,  but  extravagant  in  clamor.  Amongst  the 
birds  I  noticed  the  chionis,  of  the  long-legged  family,  as  large 
as  pigeons,  white,  with  a  short  conical  beak,  and  the  eye  framed 
in  a  red  circle.  Conseil  laid  in  a  stock  of  them,  for  these 
winged  creatures,  properly  prepared,  make  an  agreeable  meat. 
Albatrosses  passed  in  the  air  (the  expanse  of  their  wings  being 
at  least  four  yards  and  a  half),  and  justly  called  the  vultures  of 
the  ocean;  some  gigantic  petrels,  and  some  damiers,  a  kind  of 
small  duck,  the  under  part  of  whose  body  is  black  and  white; 
then  there  were  a  whole  series  of  petrels,  some  whitish  with 
brown-bordered  wings,  others  blue,  peculiar  to  .the  antarctic 
seas,  and  so  oily,  as  I  told  Conseil,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Ferroe  Islands  had  nothing  to  do  before  lighting  them,  but  to 
put  a  wick  in. 


2C8  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  A  little  more,”  said  Coiiseil,  “  and  the}^  would  be  perfect 
lamps  !  After  that  we  can  not  expect  nature  to  have  previously 
furnished  them  with  wicks  !  ” 

About  half  a  mile  farther  on,  the  soil  was  riddled  with  rufTs 
nests,  a  sort  of  lajing  ground,  out  of  which  many  birds 
were  issuing.  Captain  Nemo  had  some  hundreds  hunted.  They 
uttered  a  cry  like  the  braying  of  an  ass,  were  about  the  size  of 
a  goose,  slate  color  on  the  body,  white  beneath,  with  a  yellow 
line  round  their  throats;  they  allowed  themselves  to  be  killed 
with  a  stone,  never  trying  to  escape.  But  tiie  fog  did  not  lift, 
and  at  eleven  the  sun  had  not  yet  shown  itself.  Its  absence 
made  me  uneasy.  Without  it  no  observations  were  possible. 
How  then  could  we  decide  whether  we  had  reached  the  pole? 
When  I  rejoined  Captain  Nemo,  I  found  him  leaning  on  a 
piece  of  rock,  silently  w^atching  the  sky.  He  seemed  impatient 
and  vexed.  But  what  was  to  be  done?  This  rash  and  power¬ 
ful  man  could  not  command  the  sun  rs  he  did  the  sea.  Noon 
arrived  without  the  orb  of  day  showing  itself  for  an  instant. 
We  CO  aid  L.t  even  tell  its  position  behind  the  curtain  of  fog; 
and  soon  the  fog  turned  to  snow.  ' 

“  Till  to-morrow,”  said  the  captain  quietly,  and  we  returned  to 
the  Nautilus  amid  these  atmospheric  disturbances. 

The  tempest  of  snow  continued  t'"’!  the  next  day.  It  was  im¬ 
possible  to  remain  on  the  platform.  From  the  saloon,  where  1 
was  taking  notes  of  incidents  happening  during  this  excursion 
to  the  polar  continent,  I  could  hear  the  cries  of  petrels  and 
albatrosses  sporting  in  the  midst  of  this  violent  storm.  The 
Nautilus  did  not  remain  motionless,  but  skirted  the  coast, 
advancing  ten  miles  more  to  the  south  in  the  half-light  left  by 
the  sun  as  it  skirted  the  edge  of  the  horizon.  The  next  day,  the 
20th  of  IMarch,  the  snow  had  ceased.  The  cold  was  a  little 
greater,  the  thermometer  showing  two  degrees  below  zero. 
The  fog  was  rising,  and  I  hoped  that  that  day  our  observations 
might  be  taken.  Captain  Nemo  not  having  yet  appeared,  the 
boat  took  Conseil  and  myself  to  land.  The  soil  was  still  of  the 
same  volcanic  nature ,  every  where  were  traces  of  lava,  scorise, 
and  basalt;  but  the  crater  which  had  vomited  them  I  could  not 
see.  Here,  as  lower  down,  this  continent  was  alive  with 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER,  THE  SEAS. 


2C9 


myriads  of  birds;  but  their  rule  was  now  divided  with  large 
troops  of  sea-mammals,  looking  at  us  with  their  soft  eyes. 
There  were  several  kinds  of  seals,  some  stretched  on  the  earth, 
some  on  flakes  of  ice,  many  going  in  and  out  of  the  sea.  They 
did  not  flee  at  our  approach,  never  having  had  any  thing  to  do 
with  man;  and  I  reckoned  that  there  were  provisions  there  for 
hundreds  of  vessels. 

“  Sir,”  said  Conseil,  “  will  you  tell  me  the  names  of  these 
creatures  ?  ” 

“  They  are  seals  and  morses.” 

It  was  now  eight  in  the  morning.  Four  hours  remained  to 
us  before  the  sim  could  be  observed  with  advantage.  I  directed 
our  steps  towards  a  vast  bay  cut  in  the  steep  granite  shore. 

There,  I  can  aver  that  earth  and  ice  were  lost  to  sight  by  the 
numbers  of  sea-mammals  covering  them,  and  I  involuntarily 
souglit  for  old  Proteus,  the  mythological  shepherd  who  watched 
these  immense  flocks  of  Neptune.  There  were  more  seals  than 
any  thing  else,  forming  distinct  groups,  male  and  female,  the 
father  watching  over  his  family,  the  mother  suckling  her  little 
ones,  some  already  strong  enough  to  go  a  few  steps.  When 
they  wished  to  change  their  place,  they  took  httle  jumps, 
made  by  the  contraction  of  their  bodies,  and  helped  awkwardly 
enough  by  their  imperfect  fin,  which,  as  with  the  lamantin, 
their  congenor,  forms  a  perfect  forearm.  I  should  say  that,  in 
the  water,  which  is  their  element, — the  spine  of  these  creatures 
is  flexible, — with  smooth  and  close  skin  and  webbed  feet,  they 
swim  admirably.  In  resting  on  the  earth  they  take  the  most 
graceful  attitudes.  Thus  the  ancients,  observing  their  soft  and 
expressive  looks,  which  can  not  be  surpassed  by  the  most 
beautiful  look  a  woman  can  give,  their  clear  voluptuous  eyes, 
their  charming  positions,  and  the  poetry  of  their  manners, 
metamorphosed  them,  the  male  into  a  triton  and  the 
female  into  a  mermaid.  I  made  Conseil  notice  the  considerable 
development  of  the  lobes  of  the  brain  in  these  interesting  ceta¬ 
ceans.  No  mammal,  except  man,  has  such  a  quantity  of 
cerebral  matter;  tiiey  are  also  capable  of  receiving  a  certain 
amount  of  education,  are  easily  domesticated,  and  I  think,  with 
other  naturalists,  that,  if  properly  taught,  they  would  be  of  great 


270  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

service  as  fishing  dogs.  The  greater  part  of  them  slept  on  the 
rocks  or  on  the  sand.  Amongst  these  seals,  properly  so  called, 
wliich  have  no  external  ears  (in  wliich  they  differ  from  the  otter, 
whose  ears  are  prominent),  I  noticed  several  varieties  of  stenor- 
hynchi  about  three  yards  long,  with  a  white  coat,  bull-dog  heads, 
armed  with  teeth  in  both  jaws,  four  incisors  at  the  top  and  four 
at  the  bottom,  and  two  large  canine  teeth  in  the  shape  of  a 
“fleur  delis.”  Amongst  them  glided  sea-elephants,  a  kind  of 
seal,  with  short  flexible  trunks.  The  giants  of  this  species 
measured  twenty  feet  round,  and  ten  yards  and  a  half  in  length; 
but  they  did  not  move  as  we  approached. 

“These  creatures  are  not  dangerous?”  asked  Conseil. 

“No;  not  unless  you  attack  them.  When  they  have  to  defend 
their  young,  their  rage  is  terrible,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  for 
them  to  break  the  fisliing-boats  to  pieces.” 

“  They  are  quite  right,”  said  ConseiL 

“  I  do  not  say  they  are  not.” 

Two  miles  farther  on  we  were  stopped  by  the  promontory 
which  shelters  the  bay  from  the  southerly  winds.  Beyond  it  we 
heard  loud  hello  wings  such  as  a  troop  of  ruminants  would  pro¬ 
duce. 

“ Good !  ”  said  Conseil;  “  a  concert  of  bulls  I  ” 

“  No;  a  concert  of  morses.” 

“  They  are  fighting !  ” 

“  They  are  either  fighting  or  playing.” 

We  now  began  to  climb  the  blackish  rocks,  amid  unforseen 
stumbles,  and  over  stones  which  the  ice  made  slippery.  More 
than  once  I  rolled  over,  at  the  expense  of  my  loins.  Conseil, 
more  prudent  or  more  steady,  did  not  stumble,  and  helped  me 
up,  saying,— 

“  If,  sh',  you  would  have  the  kindness  to  take  wider  steps,  you 
would  preserve  your  equilibrium  better.” 

Arrived  at  the  upper  ridge  of  the  promontor}^  I  saw  a  vast 
white  plain  covered  with  morses.  They  were  playing  amongst 
themselves,  and  what  we  heard  were  bellowings  of  pleasure, 
not  of  anger. 

As  I  passed  near  these  curious  animals,  I  could  examine 
them  leisurely,  for  they  did  not  move.  Their  skins  were  thick 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  27l 


and  rugged,  of  a  yellowish  tint,  approaching  to  red;  their  hair 
was  short  and  scant.  Some  of  them  were  four  yards  and  a 
quarter  long.  Quieter  and  less  timid  than  their  congeners  of 
the  north,  tliey  did  not,  like  them,  place  sentinels  round  the 
outskirts  of  their  encampment.  After  examining  this  city  of 
morses,  I  began  k)  think  of  returning.  It  was  eleven  o’clock, 
and  if  Captain  Nemo  found  the  conditions  favorable  for  observa¬ 
tions,  I  wished  to  be  present  at  the  oijeration.  We  followed  a 
narrow  pathway  running  along  the- summit  of  the  steep  shore. 
At  half  past  eleven  we  had  reached  the  place  where  we  landed, 
The  boat  had  run  aground  bringing  the  captain.  I  saw  him 
standing  on  a  block  of  basalt,  his  instruments  near  him,  his  eyes 
fixed  on  the  northern  horizon,  near  which  the  sim  was  then  de¬ 
scribing  a  lengthened  curve.  I  took  my  place  beside  him,  and 
waited  without  speaking.  Noon  arrived,  and,  as  before,  the 
sun  did  not  appear.  It  was  a  fatality.  Observations  were  still 
wanting.  If  not  accomplished  to-morrow,  we  must  give  up  all 
idea  of  taking  any.  We  were  indeed  exactly  at  the  20th  of 
March.  To-morrow,  the  2l8t,  would  be  the  equinox;  the  sun 
would  disappear  behind  the  horizon  for  six  months,  and  with 
its  disappearance  the  long  polar  night  would  begin.  Since  the 
September  equinox  it  had  emerged  from  the  northern  horizon, 
rising  by  lengthened  spirals  up  to  the  21st  of  December.  At 
this  period,  the  summer  solstice  of  the  northern  regions,  it  had 
begun  to  descend,  and  to-morrow  was  to  shed  its  last  rays  upon 
them.  I  communicated  my  fears  and  observations  to  Captain 
Nemo. 

“  You  are  light,  M.  Arormax,”  said  he ;  “if  to  -  morrow  I  can 
not  take  the  altitude  of  the  sun,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  do  it  for 
six  montlis.  But  precisel)"  because  chance  has  led  me  into  these 
seas  on  the  21st  of  March,  my  bearings  will  be  easy  to  take,  if 
at  twelve  we  can  see  the  sun.” 

“AVliy,  Captain?” 

“Because  then  the  orb  of  day  describes  such  lengthened 
curves,  that  it  is  difficult  to  measure  exactly  its  height  above  the 
horizon,  and  grave  errors  may  be  made  with  instruments.” 

“What  will  you  do  then?” 

“I  shall  only  use  my  chronometer,”  replied  Captain  Nemo. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“  If  to-morrow,  the  21st  of  March,  the  disc  of  the  sim,  allowing 
for  refraction,  is  exactly  cut  by  the  northern  horizon,  it  will 
show  that  I  am  at  the  south  pole.” 

“Just  so,”  said  I.  “ But  this  statement  is  not  mathematically 
correct,  because  the  equinox  does  not  necessarily  begin  at  noon.” 

“Very  likely,  sir;  but  the  error  wiU  not  be  a  hundred  yards, 
and  we  do  not  want  more.  Till  to-morrow  then !” 

Captain  Nemo  returned  on  board.  Conseil  and  J  remained  to 
sm’vey  the  shore,  observing  and  studying  until  five  o’clock.  Then 
I  went  to  bed,  not  however,  without  invoking,  like  the  Indian, 
the  favor  of  the  radiant  orb.  The  next  day,  the  21st  of  March, 
at  five  in  the  morning,  I  mounted  the  platform.  I  found  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  there. 

“  The  weather  is  lightening  a  httle,”  said  he.  “  I  have  some 
hope.  After  breakfast  we  wiU  go  on  shore,  and  choose  a  post 
for  observation.” 

That  point  settled,  I  sought  Ned  Land.  I  wanted  to  take  him 
with  me.  But  the  obstinate  Canadian  refused,  and  I  saw  that 
his  taciturnity  and  his  bad  humor  grew  day  by  day.  After  all  I 
was  not  sorry  for  his  obstinacy  mider  the  circumstances.  Indeed, 
there  were  too  many  seals  on  shore,  and  we  ought  not  to  cay 
such  temptation  in  tins  unreflecting  fisherman’s  way.  Break¬ 
fast  over,  we  went  on  shore.  The  Nautilus  had  gone  some  miles 
farther  up  in  the  night.  It  was  a  whole  league  from  the  coast, 
above  which  reared  a  sharp  peak  about  five  hundred  yards 
high.  The  boat  took  with  me  Captain  Nemo,  two  men  of  tiie 
crew,  and  the  instruments,  which  consisted  of  a  chronometer, 
a  telescope,  and  a  barometerr'  While  crossing,  I  saw  numerous 
whales  belonging  to  the  three  kinds  peculiar  to  the  southern 
seas:  the  whale,  or  the  English  “  right  whale,”  which  has  no 
dorsal  fin  ;  the  “humpback,”  or  balsenopteron,  with  reeved 
chest,  and  large  whitish  fins,  which,  in  spite  of  its  name,  do  not 
form  wings;  and  the  fin-back,  of  a  yellowish  brown,  the  live¬ 
liest  of  all  the  cetacea.  This  powerful  creature  is  heard  a  long 
way  off  when  he  throws  to  a  great  height  columns  of  air  and 
vapor,  which  look  like  whirlwinds  of  smoke.  These  different 
mammals  were  disporting  themselves  in  troops  m  the  quiet 
waters;  and  I  could  see  that  this  basin  of  the  antarctic  pole 


TWENTY  TnOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  273 

served  as  a  place  of  refuge  to  the  cetacea  too  closely  tracked  by 
the  hunters.  I  also  noticed  long  whitish  lines  of  salpse,  a  kind 
ot  gregarious  mollusc,  and  large  medusae  floating  between  the 
reeds. 

At  nine  we  landed;  the  sky  was  brightening,  the  clouds  were 
flying  to  the  south,  and  the  fog  seemed  to  be  leaving  the  cold 
surface  of  the  waters.  Captain  Nemo  went  towards  the  peak, 
which  he  doubtless  meant  to  be  his  observatory.  It  was  a  jiain- 
f  ul  ascent  over  the  sharp  lava  and  the  pumice  -  stones,  in  an 
atmosphere  often  impregnated  with  a  sulphurous  smell  from 
the  smoking  cracks.  For  a  man  unaccustomed  to  walk  on  land, 
the  captain  climbed  the  steep  slopes  with  an  agiflty  I  never  saw 
equalled,  and  which  a  hunter  would  have  envied.  We  were 
two  hours  getting  to  the  summit  of  this  peak,  which  was  half 
porphyry  and  half  basalt.  From  thence  we  looked  upon  a  vast 
sea,  which,  towards  the  north,  distinctly  traced  its  boundary 
line  upon  the  sky.  At  our  feet  lay  fields  of  dazzling  whiteness. 
Over  our  heads  a  pale  azure,  free  from  fog.  To  the  north  the 
disc  of  the  sun  seemed  hke  a  ball  of  fire,  already  horned  by  the 
cutting  of  the  horizon.  From  the  bosom  of  the  water  rose 
sheaves  of  liquid  jets  by  hundreds.  In  the  distance  lay  the 
Nautilus  like  a  cetacean  asleep  on  the  water.  Behind  us,  to  the 
south  and  east,  an  immense  country,  and  a  chaotic  heap  of 
rocks  and  ice,  the  limits  of  which  were  not  visible.  On  arriving 
at  the  summit.  Captain  Nemo  carefuUy  took  the  mean  height 
of  the  barometer,  for  he  would  have  to  consider  that  in  taking 
his  observations.  At  a  quarter  to  twelve,  the  sun,  then  seen 
only  by  refraction,  looked  like  a  golden  disc  shedding  its  last 
rays  upon  the  deserted  continent,  and  seas  which  never  man  had 
yet  ploughed.  Captain  Nemo,  furnished  with  a  lenticular  glass, 
which,  by  means  of  a  mirror,  corrected  the  refraction,  watched 
the  orb  sinking  below  the  horizon  by  degrees,  followmg  a 
lengthened  diagonal.  I  held  the  chronometer.  My  heart  beat 
fast.  If  the  disappearance  of  the  half-disc  of  the  sun  coincided 
with  twelve  o’clock  on  the  chronometer,  we  were  at  the  pole 
itself. 

“  Twelve  ! '''  I  exclaimed. 

The  South  Pole  !  ”  replied  Captain  Nemo,  in  a  grave  voices 
19 


274  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS, 

handing  me  the  glass,  which  showed  the  orb  cut  in  exactly  equal 
parts  by  the  horizon. 

I  looked  at  the  last  rays  crowning  the  peak,  and  the  shadows 
mounting  by  degrees  up  the  slope.  At  that  moment  Captain 
Nemo,  resting  with  his  hands  on  my  shoulder,  said, — 

“  I,  Captain  Nemo,  on  this  21st  day  of  March,  18(58,  have  reached 
the  south  pole  on  the  ninetieth  degree;  and  I  take  possession  of 
this  part  of  the  globe,  equal  to  one  sixth  of  the  known  con¬ 
tinents.” 

“  In  whose  name.  Captain  ?  ” 

“  In  my  own,  sir  1” 

Saying  which.  Captain  Nemo  unfurled  a  black  banner,  bearing 
an  N  in  gold  quartered  on  its  bunting.  Then  turning  towards 
the  orb  of  day,  whose  last  rays  lapped  the  horizon  of  the  sea, 
he  exclaimed, — 

“Adieu,  sun !  Disappear,  thou  radiant  orb  I  rest  beneath  thia 
open  sea,  and  let  a  night  of  six  months  spread  its  shadows  over 
my  new  domains  I” 


CHAPTER  XV 


ACCIDENT  OR  INCIDENT. 

The  next  day,  the  22d  of  March,  at  six  in  the  morning,  prepara¬ 
tions  for  departure  were  begun.  The  last  gleams  of  twihght 
were  melting  into  night.  The  cold  was  great;  the  constellations 
shone  with  wonderful  intensity.  In  the  zenith  glittered  that 
wondrous  Southern  Cross, — the  polar  bear  of  antarctic  regions. 
The  thermometer  showed  twelve  degrees  below  zero,  and  when 
the  wind  freshened,  it  was  most  biting.  Flakes  of  ice  increased 
on  the  open  water.  The  sea  seemed  every  where  alike.  Numer¬ 
ous  blackish  patches  spread  on  the  surface,  showing  the  for¬ 
mation  of  fresh  ice.  Evidently  the  southern  basin,  froz-en  during 
the  six  winter  months,  was  absolutely  inaccessible.  What  be¬ 
came  of  the  whales  in  that  time  ?  Doubtless  they  went  beneath 
the  icebergs,  seeking  more  practicable  seas.  As  to  the  seals  and 
morses,  accustomed  to  live  in  a  hard  climate,  they  remained  on 
these  icy  shores.  These  creatures  have  the  instinct  to  break 
holes  in  the  ice-fields,  and  to  keep  them  open.  To  these  holes 
they  come  for  breath;  when  the  birds,  driven  away  by  the  cold, 
have  emigrated  to  the  north,  these  sea  mammals  remain  sole 
masters  of  the  polar  continent.  But  the  reservoirs  were  filhng 
with  water,  and  the  Nautilus  was  slowdy  descending.  At  1,000 
feet  deep  it  stopped;  its  screw  beat  the  waves,  and  it  advanced 
straight  towards  the  north,  at  a  speed  of  fifteen  miles  an  hour. 
Towards  night  it  was  already  floating  under  the  immense  body 
of  the  iceberg.  At  three  in  the  morning  I  was  awakened  by  a 
violent  shock.  I  sat  up  in  my  bed  and  listened  in  the  darkness, 
when  I  was  thrown  into  the  middle  of  the  room.  The  Nautilus, 
after  having  struck,  had  rebounded  violently.  I  ^oped  along 
the  partition,  and  by  the  staircase  to  tlie  saloon,  which  was  lit  by 

27C> 


276  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  CEA3. 

the  luminous  ceiling.  The  furniture  was  upset.  Fortunately 
the  windows  were  firmly  set,  and  had  held  fast.  The  pictures 
on  the  starboard-side,  from  being  no  longer  vertierd,  were 
clinging  to  the  paper,  whilst  those  of  the  port-side  were  hang¬ 
ing  at  least  a  foot  from  the  wall.  The  Nautilus  was  lying  on  its 
star-board-side  perfectly  motionless.  I  heard  footsteps,  and  a 
confusion  of  voices;  but  Captuni  Nemo  did  not  appear.  As  I 
was  leaving  the  saloon,  Ned  Land  and  Conseil  entered. 

“  What  is  the  matter  ?  ”  sain  I,  at  once. 

“I  came  to  ask  you,  sir,”  sai  l  Conseil. 

“Confound  it!”  exclaimeft  the  Canadian,  “I  know  we!! 
enough !  The  Nautilus  has  s<  ruck;  and  judging  by  the  way  slie 
lies,  I  do  not  think  she  will  right  herself  as  she  did  the  first 
time  in  Torres  Straits.” 

“But,”  I  asked,  “has  she  at  least  come  to  the  surface  of  the 
sea?  ” 

“We  do  not  know,”  said  CoMseil. 

“It  is  easy  to  decide,”  I  answered.  I  consulted  the  manome¬ 
ter.  To  my  great  surprise  it  s)>owed  a  depth  of  more  than  lliO 
fathoms.  “What  does  that  m^'iwV ”  1  exclaimed. 

“  We  must  ask  Captain  Nemo,-’  said  Conseil. 

“But  where  shall  we  find  him  said  Ned  Land. 

“  Follow  me,”  said  I  to  my  comn.imons. 

We  left  the  saloon.  Tliei’e  was  no  one  in  the  library.  At  the 
center  staircase,  by  the  berths  of  the  snip’s  crew,  there  was  no 
one.  1  thought  that  Captain  Nemo  must  be  in  the  pilot’s  cage- 
It  was  best  to  wait.  V/e  all  returned  to  tho  saloon.  For 
twenty  minutes  we  remained  thus,  trvJiig  to  hear  the  slightest 
noise  which  might  be  made  on  board  the  Nautilus,  when  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  entered.  He  seemed  not  to  see  us;  his  face,  generallj 
so  Impassive,  showed  signs  of  uneasiness.  He  watched  the 
compass  silently,  then  the  manometer;  and  going  to  the  plani- 
spnere,  placed  his  finger  on  a  spot  representing  the  southern 
seas.  1  would  not  interrupt  him;  but,  some  minutes  later,  when 
he  turned  towards  me,  I  said,  using  one  of  his  own  expression* 
in  the  Torres  Straits, — 

“All  incident.  Captain?” 

“No,  sh”,  an  accident  this  time.’* 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  27? 


“  Serioiifl  ?  ” 

“  Perhiips.” 

“Is  the  danger  iminediato?” 

“No.” 

“  The  Nautilus  has  stranded?  ”  » 

“Yes.” 

“And  this  has  happened— how?” 

“  I'’n)in  a  capriee  of  naturi',  not  from  the  ignorance  of  man. 
Not  a  mistake  has  been  made  in  the  working.  But  W(^  can  not 
prevent  equilibrium  from  producing  its  elTects.  We  may  brave 
human  laws,  but  we  can  not  resist  natural  ones.” 

Captain  Nemo  had  chosen  a  strange  moment  for  uttering 
this  philosophical  rellection.  On  the  whole,  his  answer  helptnl 
me  a  little. 

“  IMay  I  ask,  sir,  the  cause  of  this  accident?  ” 

“  An  enormous  block  of  ice,  a  whole  mountain,  has  turned 
over,”  he  replied.  “  When  icebergs  are  undermined  at  their 
base  by  warmer  water  or  reiterated  shocks,  their  centiu*  of 
gravity  rises,  and  the  whole  thing  turns  over.  This  is  what 
has  liappened;  one  of  these  blocks,  as  it  f(‘ll,  striu^k  the  Nau¬ 
tilus,  then,  gliding  under  its  hull,  raised  it  with  irresistible 
force,  bringing  it  into  beds  which  are  not  so  thick,  where  it  is 
lying  on  its  side.” 

“  But  can  we  not  get  the  Nautilus  olT  by  emptying  its  reser¬ 
voirs,  that  it  may  regain  its  equilibrium?” 

“That,  sir,  is  being  done  at  this  moment.  You  can  lu'ar  (he 
pump  working.  Look  at  the  needle  of  the  manomelrr;  it 
shows  that  the  Nautilus  is  rising,  but  the  block  of  ice  is  rising 
with  it,  and,  until  some  obstacle  stops  its  ascending  motion, 
our  position  can  not  be  alten'd.” 

Indeed,  the  Nautilus  still  held  the  same  ])osition  to  starboard; 
doubtless  it  would  right  itself  when  the  block  stopped.  But  at 
this  moment  who  knows  if  we  may  not  strike  the  upper  part  of 
the  iceberg,  and  if  wo  may  not  be  frightfully  crushed  Ix'tween 
the  two  glassy  surfaces?  I  redected  on  all  the  conseciuences  of 
our  position.  Captain  Nemo  never  took  his  eyi'S  oil  the  ma¬ 
nometer.  Since  the  fall  of  the  iceberg,  the  Nautilus  had  risen 
about  a  hundred  and  fifty  feeU  but  it  stiil  made  the  same  angh 


278  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

with  the  perpendicular.  Suddenly  a  slight  movement  was  felt 
m  the  hold.  Evidently  it  was  righting  a  little.  Things  hanging 
in  the  saloon  were  sensibly  returning  to  their  normal  position. 
The  partitions  were  nearing  the  upright.  No  one  spoke.  With 
beating  hearts  we  watched  and  felt  the  straightening.  The 
boards  became  horizontal  under  our  feet.  Ten  minutes  passed. 

“  At  last  we  have  righted  !  ”  I  exclaimed. 

“  Yes,”  said  Captain  Nemo,  going  to  the  door  of  the  saloon. 

“iiat  are  we  floating?”  I  asked. 

“  Certainly,”  he  replied;  “  since  the  reservoirs  are  not  empty; 
and,  when  empty,  the  Nautilus  must  rise  to  the  smTace  of  the 
e^a,” 

We  were  in  open  sea;  but  at  a  distance  of  about  ten  yards,  on 
either  side  of  the  Nautilus,  rose  a  dazzling  wall  of  ice.  Above 
and  beneath  the  same  wall.  Above,  because  the  lower  surface 
of  the  iceberg  stretched  over  us  like  an  immense  ceiling.  Be¬ 
neath,  because  the  overturned  block,  having  slid  by  degrees,  had 
found  a  restin 55-place  on  the  lateral  walls,  which  kept  it  in  that 
position.  Th“  Nautilus  was  really  imprisoned  in  a  perfect  tun¬ 
nel  of  ice  mo’*e  than  tw^enty  yards  in  breadth,  filled  with  quiet 
water.  It  was  easy  to  get  out  of  it  by  going  either  forward  or 
backward,  as\d  then  make  a  free  passage  under  the  iceberg, 
some  hundreds  of  yards  deeper.  The  luminous  ceiling  had 
been  extinguished,  but  the  saloon  was  still  resplendent  with  in¬ 
tense  light.  It  was  the  powerful  reflection  from  the  glass  par¬ 
tition  sent  violently  back  to  the  sheets  of  the  lantern.  I  can 
not  describe  the  effect  of  the  voltaic  rays  upon  the  great  blocks 
so  capriciously  cut;  upon  every  angle,  every  ridge,  every  facet, 
was  thrown  a  different  light,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
veins  running  through  tlie  ice;  a  dazzling  mine  of  gems,  partic¬ 
ularly  of  sapphires,  their  blue  rays  crossing  with  the  green  of 
the  emerald.  Here  and  there  were  opal  shades  of  wonderful 
softness,  running  through  bright  spots  like  diamonds  of  fire,  the 
brilliancy  of  which  the  eye  could  not  bear.  The  power  of  the 
lantern  seemed  increased  f*,  hundred-fold,  like  a  lamp  through 
the  lenticular  plates  of  a  first-class  lighthouse. 

“How  beautiful !  how  beautiful ! ”  cried  Conseil. 

“Yes,”  1  said,  “  it  is  a  w'onderful  sijhL  Is  it  not,  Ned?” 


/ 


TWICNTY  THOUSAND  MilAflUKfl  UNDKIt  THK  SKAfl.  270 

“  Yos,  confound  it !  Yes,”  luiswon'd  N(m1  liiind,  “It  Is  sniM'd)  1 
I  am  nmd  at  ol)li}j;(sl  to  juimit  It.  No  ono  has  ever  se('n 
any  thlnjLj  like  it;  but  tlie  si^lit  may  cost  us  di'ar.  And  If  I  must 
say  all,  I  tliink  wo  are  si'einj;  liero  thinjj^s  wJilcli  (Jod  never  in¬ 
tended  man  to  sias” 

Ned  was  rij^lit;  it  was  too  beautiful.  Suddenly  a  cry  from 
Conseil  made  me  turn. 

“What  is  It?”  I  asked. 

“Shut  your  eyes,  sir  1  do  not  look,  sir  1”  Saying  which,  (!lon- 
Beil  clapiM'd  his  liands  over  his  eyes. 

“  lint  what  is  Ihe  matter,  my  boy?” 

“  I  am  dazzli'd,  hlimh'd.” 

My  eyes  turned  involuntarily  towards  the  glitss,  but  I  could 
not  stand  tiu'  lire  which  seenu'd  to  d(‘vour  them.  1  undei'stood 
what  l\ad  hapiamed.  Tlie  Nautilus  had  put  on  full  speed.  All 
(he  (pilot  luster  of  tiu'  ice-walls  was  at  once  changed  into  (laslu's 
of  liy^htniuiu:.  'I'he  lire  from  tlu'se  myriads  of  diamonds  was 
blinding.  It  iHspilnsl  some  time  to  calm  our  troubled  looks. 
At  last  the  hands  wi're  (aken  down. 

“  Faith,  r  should  never  have  Is'lh'vt'd  It,”  said  Fonsell. 

It  was  then  live  in  the  mornlnj;;  and  at  that  moment  a  shock 
was  felt  at  the  hows  of  the  Nautilus.  1  knew  that  Its  spur  had 
struck  a  block  of  ice.  It  must  have  lu'en  a  false  mameuvre,  for 
this  submarine  tunnel,  obstructed  by  blocks,  was  not  vi'ry  I'asy 
navi}j;ation.  1  thought  that  Faptaln  Nemo,  by  chanj^ln^;;  his 
coursi',  would  ('Itlu'r  turn  tlu'se  obstacles,  or  else  follow  the 
windings  of  th(' tunm'l.  In  any  ciusi',  (he  road  before  usVould 
not  be  (Mitlndy  blocked.  ItuU  contrary  to  my  expechdlons,  the 
Nautilus  took  a  decldi'd  ndrojj^rade  motion. 

“  We  are  ifoinjj;  backwards,”  said  (’onst'll. 

“Yes,”  I  replU'd.  “This  end  of  (lie  tunnel  can  have  no 
e}?ress.” 

“And  tluMi?” 

“Tlum,”  said  1,  “the  working  Is  easy.  We  must  u^o  Ixick 
a^ain,  and  y^o  out  at  the  soutluM  ii  opening?.  'I'hat  Is  all.” 

In  speakiny:  thus,  I  wished  to  appear  more  contident  than  I 
really  was.  lint  tlie  ri'troyjrade  motion  of  the  Nautilus  was  In- 
creaslny;;  and,  revei'siny;  the  screw,  li  carrl«'d  us  at  unsit  speed. 


280  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEH  THE  SEAS. 

“  It  will  be  a  hindrance,”  said  Ned. 

“  What  does  it  matter,  some  hours  more  or  less,  provided  we 
get  out  at  last?  ” 

“  Yes,”  repeated  Ned  Land,  “provided  we  do  get  out  at  last !” 

For  a  short  time  I  walked  from  the  saloon  to  the  library.  My 
companions  were  silent.  I  soon  threw  myself  on  an  ottoman, 
and  took  a  book,  which  my  eyes  overran  mechanically.  A  quar¬ 
ter  of  an  hour  after,  Conseil,  approacliing  me,  said,  “  Is  what 
you  are  reading  very  interesting,  sir?” 

“Very interesting  !”  I  replied. 

“  I  should  think  so,  sir.  It  is  your  own  book  you  are  reading.” 

“  My  book  ?  ” 

And  indeed  I  was  holding  in  my  hand  the  work  on  the  “  Great 
Submarine  Depths.”  I  did  not  even  dream  of  it.  I  closed  the 
book,  and  returned  to  my  walk.  Ned  and  Conseil  rose  to  go. 

“  Stay  here,  my  friends,”  said  I,  detaining  them.  “  Let  us  remain 
together  until  we  are  out  of  this  block.” 

“  As  you  please,  sir,”  Conseil  replied. 

Some  hours  passed.  I  often  looked  at  the  instruments  hanging 
from  the  partition.  The  manometer  showed  that  the  Nautilus 
kept  at  a  constant  depth  of  more  than  three  hundred  yards;  the 
compass  still  pointed  to  the  south;  the  log  indicated  a  speed  of 
twenty  miles  an  hour,  which,  in  such  a  cramped  space,  was  very 
great.  But  Captain  Nemo  knew  that  he  could  not  hasten  too 
much,  and  that  minutes  were  worth  ages  to  us.  At  twenty-five 
minutes  past  eight  a  second  shock  took  place,  this  time  from 
behind.  I  turned  pale.  My  companions  were  close  by  my  side. 
I  seized  ConseiPs  hand.  Our  looks  expressed  our  feelings  better 
than  words.  At  this  moment  the  captain  entered  the  saloon.  I 
went  up  to  him. 

“  Our  course  is  barred  southward  ?  ”  I  asked. 

“  Yes,  sir.  The  iceberg  has  shifted,  and  closed  every  outlet.” 

“We  are  blocked  up,  then  ?  ” 

“  Yes.” 


CHAPTER  XVI 


WANT  OF  AIB. 

Thus,  around  the  Nautilus,  above  and  below,  was  an  impene¬ 
trable  wall  of  ice.  We  were  prisoners  to  the  iceberg.  I  watched 
the  captain.  His  comitenance  had  resumed  its  habitual  imper¬ 
turbability. 

“  Gentlemen,”  he  said,  calmly,  “  there  are  two  ways  of  dying  in 
the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed.”  (This  inexplicable 
person  had  the  air  of  a  mathematical  professor  lecturing  to  his 
pupils.)  “The  first  is  to  be  crushed;  the  second  is  to  die  of 
suffocation.  I  do  not  speak  of  the  possibility  of  dying  of  hunger, 
for  the  supply  of  provisions  in  the  Nautilus  will  certainly  last 
longer  than  we  shall.  Let  us  then  calculate  our  chances.” 

“As  to  suffocation.  Captain,”  I  replied,  “that  is  not  to  be 
feared,  because  our  reservoirs  are  full.” 

“Just  so;  but  they  will  only  yield  two  days’ supply  of  air. 
Now,  for  thirty-six  hours  we  have  been  hidden  under  the  water, 
and  already  the  heavy  atmosphere  of  the  Nautilus  requires 
renewal.  In  forty-eight  hours  our  reserve  will  be  exhausted.” 

“  Well,  Captain,  can  we  be  delivered  before  forty-eight  hours?” 

“  We  will  attempt  it,  at  least,  by  piercing  the  wall  that  sur¬ 
rounds  us.” 

“  On  which  side  ?  ” 

“  Sound  will  tell  us.  I  am  going  to  run  the  Nautilus  aground 
on  the  lower  bank,  and  my  men  will  attack  the  iceberg  on  the 
side  that  is  least  thick.” 

Captain  Nemo  went  out.  Soon  I  discovered  by  a  hissing  noise 
that  the  water  was  entering  the  reservoirs.  The  Nautilus  sank 
slowly,  and  rested  on  the  ice  at  a  depth  of  850  yards,  the  depth 
at  which  the  lower  bank  was  immersed^ 


282  TWEI^TY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAG. 

“  My  friends,”  I  said,  “  our  situation  is  serious,  but  I  rely  on 
your  courage  and  energy.” 

“  Sir,”  replied  the  Canadian,  “  I  am  ready  to  do  any  tiling  for 
the  general  safety.” 

“  Good  !  Ned,”  and  I  held  out  my  hand  to  the  Canadian. 

“  I  will  add,”  he  continued,  “  that  being  as  handy  with  the 
pickaxe  as  with  the  harpoon,  if  I  can  be  useful  to  the  captain, 
he  can  command  my  services.” 

“He  will  not  refuse  your  help.  Come,  Ned  ! ” 

I  led  him  to  the  room  where  the  crew  of  the  Nautilus  were 
putting  on  their  cork-jackets.  I  told  the  captain  of  Ned’s  pro¬ 
posal,  which  he  accepted.  The  Canadian  put  on  his  sea-costume, 
and  was  ready  as  soon  as  his  companions.  When  Ned  was  dressed, 
I  re-entered  the  drawing-room,  where  the  panes  of  glass  were 
open,  and,  posted  near  Conaeil,  I  examined  the  ambient  beds 
that  supported  the  Nautilus.  Som<^  mstants*  after,  we  saw  a 
dozen  of  the  crew  set  foot  on  tne  Dank  of  ice,  and  among  them 
Ned  Land,  easily  known  oy  ..ic  stature.  Captain  Nemo  was 
with  them.  Before  proceeding  to  dig  the  walls,  he  took  the 
soundings,  to  be  sure  of  worldng  in  the  right  direction.  Long 
sounding  lines  were  sunk  in  the  side  walls,  but  after  fifteen 
yards  they  were  again  stopped  by  the  thick  wall.  It  was  use¬ 
less  to  attack  it  on  the  ceiling-like  surface,  since  the  iceberg 
itself  measured  more  than  400  yards  in  height.  Captain  Nemo 
then  sounded  the  lower  surface.  There  ten  yards  of  wall  sep¬ 
arated  us  from  the  water,  so  great  was  the  thickness  of  the  ice¬ 
field.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  cut  from  it  a  piece  equal 
in  extent  to  the  water  line  of  the  Nautilus.  There  were  about 
6,000  cubic  yards  to  detach,  so  as  to  dig  a  hole  by  wdncn  we 
could  descend  to  the  icetield.  The  work  was  begun  immediate¬ 
ly,  and  carried  on  with  indefatigable  energy.  Instead  of  digging 
round  the  Nautilus,  which  would  have  involved  greater  difficulty, 
Captain  Nemo  had  an  immense  trench  made  at  eight  yards 
from  the  port  quarter.  Then  the  men  set  to  work  simultaneous¬ 
ly  with  their  screws,  on  several  points  of  its  circumference. 
Presently  the  pickaxe  attacked  this  compact  matter  vigorously, 
and  large  blocks  were  detached  from  the  mass.  By  a  curious 
effect  of  specific  gravity,  these  blocks,  lighter  than  water,  fled,  so 


THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  288 


to  speaE,  to  the  vault  of  the  tunnel,  that  increased  in  thickness 
at  the  top  in  proportion  as  it  diminished  at  the  base.  But  that 
mattered  httle,  so  long  as  the  lower  part  grew  tliinner.  After 
two  hours  hard  work,  Netl  Land  came  in  exhausted.  He  and 
his  comrades  wei'e  replaced  by  new  workers,  whom  Conseil 
and  I  joined.  The  second  lieutenant  of  the  Nautilus  superin¬ 
tended  us.  The  water  seemed  singularly  cold,  but  I  soon  got 
warm  handhng  the  pickaxe.  My  movements  were  free  enough, 
although  they  were  made  under  a  pressure  of  thirty  atmos¬ 
pheres.  MTien  I  re-entered,  after  working  two  hours,  to  take 
some  food  and  rest,  I  found  a  perceptible  difference  between 
the  pure  fluid  with  wliich  the  Bouquayrol  engine  supplied  me, 
and  the  atmosphere  of  the  Nautilus,  already  charged  with  car¬ 
bonic  acid.  The  air  had  not  been  renewed  for  forty-eight 
hours,  and  its  vivifying  qualities  were  considerably  enfeebled. 
However,  after  a  lapse  of  twelve  hours,  we  had  only  raised  a 
block  of  ice  one  yard  thick,  on  the  marked  surface,  wliich  was 
about  600  cubic  yards  !  Beckoning  that  it  took  twelve  hours  to 
accomplish  tliis  much,  it  would  take  five  nights  and  four  days 
to  bring  this  enterprise  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion.  Five 
nights  and  four  days  !  And  we  have  only  air  enough  for  two 
days  in  the  reservoirs  !  “  Without  taking  into  account,”  said 
Ned,  “  that,  even  if  we  get  out  of  this  infernal  prison,  we  shall 
also  be  imprisoned  under  the  iceberg,  shut  out  from  all  possible 
communication  with  the  atmosphere.”  Who  could  then  foresee 
the  minimum  of  time  necessary  for  our  deliverance^  We 
might  be  suffocated  before  the  Nautilus  could  regain  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  waves !  Was  it  destined  to  perish  in  this  ice-tomb, 
with  all  those  it  enclosed?  The  situation  was  terrible.  But 
every  one  had  looked  the  danger  in  the  face,  and  each  was. 
determined  to  do  his  duty  to  the  last. 

As  I  expected,  during  the  night  a  new  block  a  yard  square 
was  carried  aw^ay,  and  still  further  sank  the  immense  hollow. 
But  in  the  mornmg  when,  dressed  in  my  cork-jacket,  I  traversed 
the  slushy  mass  at  a  temperature  of  six  or  seven  degrees  below 
zero,  I  remarked  that  the  side  walls  were  gradually  closing  in. 
The  beds  of  water  farthest  from  the  trench,'  that  were  not 
warmed  by  the  men’s  mere  work,  showed  a  tendency  to 


284  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEA^ 

solidification.  In  presence  of  this  new  and  imminent  danger, 
what  would  become  of  our  chances  of  safety,  and  how  hinder 
the  solidification  of  this  liquid  medium,  that  would  burst  the 
partitions  of  the  Nautilus  like  glass? 

I  did  not  tell  my  companions  of  this  new  danger.  What  was 
the  good  of  damping  the  energy  they  displayed  in  the  painful 
work  of  escape?  But  when  I  went  on  board  again,  I  told 
Captain  Nemo  of  this  grave  complication. 

“I  know  it,”  he  said,  in  that  calm  tone  which  could  counter¬ 
act  the  most  terrible  apprehensions.  “It  is  one  danger  more; 
but  I  see  no  way  of  escaping  it;  the  only  chance  of  safety  is  to 
go  quicker  than  solidification.  We  must  be  beforehand  with  it, 
that  is  all.” 

On  this  day  for  several  hours  I  used  my  pickaxe  vigorously. 
The  work  kept  me  up.  Besides,  to  work  was  to  quit  the  Nam 
thus,  and  breathe  directly  the  pure  air  drawn  from  the  reser¬ 
voirs,  and  supplied  by  our  apparatus,  and  to  quit  the  impover¬ 
ished  and  vitiated  atmosphere.  Towards  evening  the  trench 
was  dug  one  yard  deeper.  When  I  returned  on  board,  I  was 
nearly  suffocated  by  the  carbonic  acid  with  which  the  air  was 
filled— ah  !  if  we  had  only  the  chemical  means  to  drive  away 
this  deleterious  gas.  We  had  plenty  of  oxygen ;  all  this  water 
contained  a  considerable  quantity,  and  by  dissolving  it  with  our 
'powerful  piles,  it  would  restore  the  vivifying  fluid.  I  had 
thought  well  over  it,  but  of  what  good  was  that,  since  the  car¬ 
bonic  acid  produced  by  our  respiration  had  invaded  every  part 
of  the  vessel?  To  absorb  it,  it  was  necessary  to  fill  some  jars 
with  caustic  potash,  and  to  shake  them  incessantly.  Now  this 
substance  was  wanting  on  board,  and  nothing  could  replace  it. 
On  that  evening,  Captain  Nemo  ought  to  open  the  taps  of  his 
reservoirs,  and  let  some  pure  air  into  the  interior  of  the  Nau¬ 
tilus;  without  this  precaution,  we  could  not  get  rid  of  the 
sense  of  suffocation.  The  next  day,  March  26, 1  resumed  my 
miner’s  work  in  beginning  the  fifth  yard.  The  side  walls  and 
the  lower  surface  of  the  iceberg  thickened  visibly.  It  was  evi¬ 
dent  that  they  would  meet  before  the  Nautilus  was  able  to  dis¬ 
engage  itself.  Despair  seized  me  for  an  instant,  my  pickaxe 
nearly  fell  from  my  hands.  What  was  the  good  of  digging  if  I 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  ^86 


must  be  suffocated,  crushed  by  the  water  that  was  turning  into 
stone? — a  punishment  tliat  the  ferocity  of  the  savages  even 
would  not  have  invented !  Just  then  Captain  Nemo  passed 
near  me.  I  touched  his  hand  and  showed  liim  the  walls  of  our 
prison.  The  wall  to  port  had  advanced  to  at  least  four  yards 
from  the  hull  of  the  Nautilus.  The  captain  understood  me, 
and  signed  to  me  to  follow  him.  We  went  on  board.  I  took 
off  my  cork-jacket,  and  accompanied  him  into  the  drawing¬ 
room. 

“  M.  Aronnax,  we  must  attempt  some  desperate  means,  or  we 
ghaU  be  sealed  up  in  this  solidified  water  as  in  cement.” 

“Yes;  but  what  is  to  be  done?” 

“  Ah !  if  ray  Nautilus  were  strong  enough  to  bear  this  pressmre 
(vithout  being  crushed !  ” 

“Well?” I  asked,  not  catching  the  captain’s  idea. 

“  Do  you  not  understand,”  he  replied,  “  that  this  congelation 
jf  water  will  help  us?  Do  you  not  see  that,  by  its  solidification 
A,  would  burst  through  this  field  of  ice  that  imprisons  us,  as, 
when  it  freezes,  it  bursts  the  hardest  stones?  Do  you  not  per¬ 
ceive  that  it  would  be  an  agent  of  safety  instead  of  destruc¬ 
tion  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  Captain,  perhaps.  But  whatever  resistance  to  crushing 
the  Nautilus  possesses,  it  could  not  support  this  terrible  press¬ 
ure,  and  would  be  flattened  like  an  iron  plate.” 

“I  know  it,  sir.  Therefore  we  must  not  reckon  on  the  aid  of 
nature,  but  on  our  own  exertions.  We  must  stop  this  solidifica¬ 
tion.  Not  only  will  the  side  walls  be  pressed  together,  but  there 
is  not  ten  feet  of  water  before  or  behind  the  Nautilus.  The 
congelation  gains  on  us  on  all  sides.” 

“  IIow  long  will  the  air  in  the  reservoirs  last  for  us  to  breathe 
on  board?  ” 

The  captain  looked  in  my  face.  “  After  to-morrow  they  will 
be  empty !  ” 

A  cold  sweat  came  over  me.  However,  ought  I  to  have  been 
astonished  at  the  answer?  On  March  22,  the  Nautilus  was  in 
the  open  polar  seas.  We  were  at  26°.  For  five  days  we  had 
lived  on  the  leserve  on  board.  And  what  was  left  of  the 
respirjbiG  air  mast  be  kept  for  the  workers.  Even  now,  as  I 


‘^86  TWENTY  thousand  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

write,  my  recollection  is  still  so  vivid,  that  an  involuntary  terror 
seizes  me,  and  my  lungs  seem  to  be  without  air.  Meanwliile 
Captain  Nemo  reflected  silently,  and  evidently  an  idea  had  struck 
him;  but  he  seemed  to  reject  it.  At  last,  these  words  escaped 
his  lips, — 

“Boiling  water!”  he  muttered. 

“  Boiling  water !  ”  I  cried. 

“  Yes,  sir.  We  are  enclosed  in  a  space  that  is  relatively  con¬ 
fined.  Would  not  jets  of  boiling  water,  constantly  injected  by 
the  pumps,  raise  the  temperature  in  this  part,  and  stay  the  con¬ 
gelation?  ” 

“  Let  us  try  it,”  I  said,  resolutely. 

“  Let  us  try.  Professor.” 

The  thermometer  then  stood  at  seven  degrees  outside.  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo  took  me  to  the  galleys,  where  the  vast  distillatory 
machines  stood  that  furnished  the  drinkable  water  by  evapora¬ 
tion.  They  filled  these  with  water,  and  all  the  electric  heat 
from  the  piles  was  thrown  through  the  worms  bathed  in  the 
liquid.  In  a  few  minutes  this  water  reached  a  hundred  de¬ 
grees.  It  was  directed  towards  the  pumps,  while  fresh  water 
replaced  it  in  proportion.  The  heat  developed  by  the  troughs 
was  such  that  cold  water,  drawn  up  from  the  sea,  after  only 
having  gone  through  the  machines,  came  boiling  into  the  body 
of  the  pump.  The  injection  was  begun,  and  three  hours  after 
the  thermometer  marked  six  degrees  below  zero  outside.  One 
degree  was  gained.  Two  hours  later  the  thermometer  only 
marked  four  degrees. 

“We  shall  succeed,”  I  said  to  the  captain,  after  having  anx¬ 
iously  watched  the  result  of  the  operation. 

“I  tlfink,”  he  answered,  “that  we  shall  not  be  crushed.  W& 
have  no  more  suffocation  to  fear.” 

During  the  night  the  temperature  of  the  water  rose  to  one 
degree  below  zero.  The  injections  could  not  carry  it  to  a  higher 
point.  But  as  the  congelation  of  the  sea-water  produces  al 
least  two  degrees,  I  was  at  last  reassured  against  the  dangers  oi 
solidification. 

The  next  day,  March  27,  six  yards  of  ice  had  been  cleared, 
four  yards  only  remaining  to  be  cleared  away.  There  was  ye\. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  287 


forty-eight  hours’  work.  The  air  could  not  be  renewed  in  the 
Interior  of  the  Nautilus.  And  this  day  would  make  it  worse. 
An  intolerable  weight  oppressed  me.  Towards  three  o’clock  in 
the  evening,  this  feehng  rose  to  a  violent  degree.  Yawns  dis¬ 
located  my  jaws.  My  lungs  panted  as  they  inhaled  this  burning 
fluid,  which  became  rarefied  more  and  more.  A  moral  toi-por 
took  hold  of  me.  I  was  powerless,  almost  unconscious.  My 
brave  Conseil,  though  exhibiting  the  same  sjTnptoms  and  suffer¬ 
ing  in  the  same  manner,  never  left  me.  He  took  my  hand  and 
encouraged  me,  and  I  heard  him  murmur,  “  0,  if  I  could  «nly 
not  breathe,  so  as  to  leave  more  air  for  my  master !” 

Tears  came  into  my  eyes  on  hearing  him  speak  thus.  If  our 
situation  to  all  was  intolerable  in  the  interior,  with  what  haste 
and  gladness  would  we  put  on  our  cork-jackets  to  work  in  our 
turn  !  Pickaxes  sounded  on  the  frozen  ice  -  beds.  Our  arms 
ached,  the  skin  was  torn  off  our  hands.  But  what  were  these 
fatigues,  what  did  the  wounds  matter?  Vital  air  came  to  the 
lungs !  we  breathed !  we  breathed  I 

All  this  time  no  one  prolonged  his  voluntary  task  beyond  the 
prescribed  time.  His  task  accomplished,  each  one  handed  in 
turn  to  his  panting  companions  the  apparatus  that  supplied  him 
with  life.  Captain  Nemo  set  the  example,  and  submitted  first 
to  this  severe  discipline.  When  the  time  came  he  gave  up  his 
apparatus  to  another,  and  returned  to  the  vitiated  air  on  board, 
calm,  unflinching,  unmurmuring. 

On  that  day  the  ordinary  work  was  accomplished  with  unusual 
vigor.  Only  two  yards  remained  to  be  raised  from  the  surface. 
Two  yards  only  separated  us  from  the  open  sea.  But  the  reser¬ 
voirs  were  nearly  emptied  of  air.  The  little  that  remained 
ought  to  be  kept  for  the  workers;  not  a  particle  for  the  Nauti¬ 
lus.  When  I  went  back  on  board,  I  was  half  suffocated.  What 
a  night !  I  know  not  how  to  describe  it.  The  next  day  my 
*  breathing  was  oppressed.  Dizziness  accompanied  the  pain  in 
my  head,  and  made  me  like  a  drunken  man.  My  companions 
showed  the  same  symptoms.  Some  of  the  crew  had  rattling  in 
the  throat. 

On  that  day,  the  sixth  of  our  imprisonment,  Captain  Nemo, 
finding  tlie  pickaxes  work  too  slowly,  resolved  to  crush  the  ice- 


288  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  SEAE 

bed  that  still  separated  us  from  the  liquid  sheet.  This  man’s 
coolness  and  energy  never  forsook  him.  He  subdued  his  phys¬ 
ical  pains  by  moral  force. 

By  his  orders  the  vessel  was  lightened,  that  is  to  say,  raised 
from  the  ice -bed  by  a  change  of  specific  gnivity.  When  It 
floated  they  towed  it  so  as  to  bring  it  above  the  imnsense  trench 
made  on  the  level  of  the  water-fine.  Then  filling  his  reservoirs 
of  water,  he  descended  and  shut  himself  up  in  the  hole. 

Just  then  all  the  crew  came  on  board,  and  the  double  door  of 
communication  was  shut.  The  Nautilus  then  rested  on  the  bed 
of  ice,  which  was  not  one  yard  thick,  and  which  the  sounding 
leads  had  perforated  in  a  thousand  places.  The  taps  of  the 
reservoirs  were  then  opened,  and  a  hundred  cubic  yards  of 
water  was  let  in,  increasing  the  weight  of  the  Nautilus  to  1800 
tons.  We  waited,  we  listened,  forgetting  our  sufferings  in  hope. 
Our  safety  depended  on  this  last  chance.  Notwithstanding  the 
buzzing  in  my  head,  I  soon  hoard  the  humming  sound  under 
the  hull  of  the  Nautilus.  The  ice  cracked  with  a  singular  noise, 
like  tearing  paper,  and  the  Nautilus  sank. 

“  We  are  off  !”  murmured  Conseil  in  my  ear. 

I  could  not  answer  him.  I  seized  his  hand,  and  pressed  it 
convulsively.  All  at  once,  carried  away  by  its  frightful  over¬ 
charge,  the  Nautilus  sank  like  a  bullet  under  the  waters,  that 
is  to  say,  it  fell  as  if  it  was  in  a  vacuum.  Then  all  the  electric 
force  was  put  on  the  pumps,  that  soon  began  to  let  the  water 
out  of  the  reservoirs.  After  some  minutes,  our  fall  was  stopped. 
Soon,  too,  the  manometer  indicated  an  ascending  movement. 
The  screw  going  at  full  speed,  made  the  iron  hull  tremble  to 
its  very  bolts,  and  drew  us  towards  the  north.  But  if  this  float¬ 
ing  mider  the  iceberg  is  to  last  another  day  before  we  reach 
the  open  sea,  I  shall  be  dead  first. 

Half  stretched  upon  a  divan  in  the  library,  I  was  suffocating. 
My  face  was  purple,  my  lips  blue,  my  faculties  suspended.  I 
neither  saw  nor  heard.  All  notion  of  time  had  gone  from  my 
mind.  My  muscles  could  not  contract.  I  do  not  know  how 
many  hours  passed  thus,  but  I  was  conscious  of  the  agony  that 
was  coming  over  nie.  I  felt  .as  if  I  was  going  to  die.  Sud¬ 
denly  I  camf»  Some  bieatlis  of  air  penetrated  my  lungs. 


s 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEE  THE  SEAS.  289 

Had  we  risen  to  the  surface  of  the  waves  ?  Were  we  free  of 
the  iceberg  ?  No ;  Ned  and  Conseil,  my  two  brave  friends, 
were  sacriflcmg  themselves  to  save  me.  Some  particles  of  air 
still  remained  at  the  bottom  of  one  apparatus.  Instead  of  using 
it  they  had  kept  it  for  me,  and  while  they  were  being  suffo' 
cated,  they  gave  me  life  drop  by  drop.  I  wanted  to  push 
back  the  thing ;  they  held  my  hands,  and  for  some  moments 
I  breathed  freely.  I  looked  at  the  cloclf ;  it  was  eleven  in  the 
morning.  It  ought  to  be  the  28th  of  March.  The  Nautilus  went 
at  a  frightful  pace,  forty  miles  an  hour.  It  literally  tore 
through  the  water.  Where  was  Captain  Nemo  ?  Had  he 
succumbed?  Were  liis  companions  dead  with  him?  At  the 
moment,  the  manometer  indicated  that  we  were  not  more  than 
twenty  feet  from  the  surface.  A  mere  plate  of  ice  separated 
us  from  the  atmosphere ;  could  we  not  break  it  ?  Perhaps. 
In  any  case  the  Nautilus  was  going  to  attempt  it.  I  felt  that 
it  was  in  an  oblique  position,  lowering  the  stern,  and  raising  the 
bows.  The  introduction  of  water  had  been  the  means  of  dis¬ 
turbing  its  equilibrium.  Then,  impelled  by  its  powerful  screw, 
it  attacked  the  ice-field  from  beneath  like  a  formidable  batter¬ 
ing-ram.  It  broke  it  by  backing  and  then  rushing  forward 
against  the  field,  which  gradually  gave  way;  and  at  last,  dashing 
suddenly  against  it,  shot  forwards  on  the  icy  field,  that  crushed 
beneath  its  weight.  The  panel  was  opened,  —  one  might  say 
torn  off,— and  the  pure  air  came  in  in  abundance  to  all  parts 
Df  the  Nautilus. 


20 


CHAPTER  XVII 


FROM  CAPE  HORN  TO  THE  AMAZON. 

How  I  got  on  the  platform,  I  nave  no  idea ;  perhaps  the 
Canadian  liad  carried  me  there.  But  I  breathed,  I  inhaled  the 
vivifying  sea-air.  My  two  companions  were  getting  drunk 
with  the  fresh  particles.  The  other  unhappy  men  had  been 
so  loQg  without  food,  that  they  could  not  with  impunity  in¬ 
dulge  in  the  simplest  aliments  that  were  given  them.  We,  on 
the  contrary,  had  no  need  to  restrain  ourselves ;  we  could 
draw  this  air  freely  into  our  lungs,  and  it  was  the  breeze, 
the  breeze  alone,  that  filled  us  witli  this  keen  enjoyment. 

“  Ah !  ”  said  Conseil,  “  how  delightful  this  oxygen  is  !  Master 
Heed  not  fear  to  breathe  it.  There  is  enough  for  every  body.” 

Ned  Land  did  not  speak,  but  lie  opened  his  jaws  wide  enough 
to  frighten  a  shark.  Our  strength  soon  returned,  and  when  I 
looked  round  me,  I  saw  we  were  alone  on  the  platform.  The 
foreign  seamen  in  the  Nautilus  were  contented  with  the  air  that 
circulated  in  the  interior  ;  none  of  them  had  come  to  drink  in 
the  open  air. 

The  first  words  I  spoke  were  words  of  gratitude  and  thank¬ 
fulness  to  my  two  companions.  Nod  and  Conseil  had  prolonged 
my  fife  during  the  last  hours  of  this  long  agony.  All  my  grati¬ 
tude  could  not  repay  such  devotion. 

“  My  friends,”  said  I,  “  we  are  bound  one  to  the  other  forever, 
and  I  am  under  infinite  obligations  to  you.” 

-  “Which  I  shall  take  advantage  of,”  exclaimed  the  Canadian. 

“  What  do  you  mean  ?  ”  said  Conseil. 

“  I  mean  that  I  shall  take  you  with  me  when  I  le..ve  this  in 
fernal  Nautilus.” 

“Well,”  said  Conseil,  “after  all  this,  are  we  going  right 

^90 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  I.EAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  291 

“Yes,”  I  replied,  for  we  are  going  the  way  of  the  sun,  and* 
here  the  sun  is  in  the  north.” 

“No  doubt,”  said  Ned  Land;  “but  it  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  he  will  bring  the  ship  into  the  Pacific  or  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  that  is,  into  frequented  or  deserted  seas.” 

I  could  not  answer  that  question,  and  I  feared  that  Captain 
Nemo  would  rather  take  us  to  the  vast  ocean  that  touches  the 
coasts  of  Asia  and  America  at  the  same  time.  He  \vould  thus 
complete  the  tour  round  the  submarine  world,  and  r  turn  to 
those  waters  in  which  the  Nautilus  could  sail  freely.  , ,  e  ught, 
before  long,  to  settle  this  important  point.  The  ^laul’lus  went 
at  a  rapid  pace.  The  polar  circle  was  soon  pr  erl,  and  the 
course  shaped  for  Cape  Horn.  We  were  off  the  Ai  , '  n  point, 
March  31,  at  seven  o’clock  in  the  evening.  Then  an  our  post 
sufferings  were  forgotten.  The  remembrance  of  that  imprison¬ 
ment  in  the  ice  was  effaced  from  our  minds.  We  onb'  thought 
of  the  future.  Captain  Nemo  did  not  appear  again  either  in 
the  drawing-room  or  on  the  platform.  The  point  shown  each 
day  on  the  planisphere,  and  marked  by  the  lieutenant,  showed 
me  the  exact  direction  of  the  Nautilus.  Now,  on  that  evening, 
it  was  evident,  to  my  great  satisfaction,  that  we  were  going  back 
to  the  north  by  the  Atlantic.  The  next  day,  April  1,  when  tne 
Nautilus  ascended  to  the  surface,  some  minutes  before  noon,  we 
sighted  land  to  the  west.  It  was  Terra  del  Fuego,  which  the 
first  navigators  named  thus  from  seeing  the  quantity  of  smoke 
that  rose  from  the  native's’  huts.  The  coasts  seemed  low  to  me, 
but  in  the  distance  rose  high  mountains.  I  even  thought  I  had 
a  glimpse  of  Mount  Sarraiento,  that  rises  2,070  5'ards  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  with  a  very  pointed  summit,  which,  accordingly 
as  it  is  misty  or  clear,  is  a  sign  of  fine  or  of  wet  weather.  At 
this  moment,  the  peak  was  clearly  defined  against  the  sky. 
The  Nautilus,  diving  again  under  the  water,  approached  the 
coast,  which  was  only  some  few  miles  off.  From  the  glass 
windows  in  the  drawing-room,  I  saw  long  sea-we^ds,  and 
gigantic  f uci,  and  varech,  of  which  the  open  polar  sea  contains 
so  many  specimens,  with  their  sharp  polished  filaments;  they 
measured  about  300  yards  in  length,  —  real  cables,  thicker  than 
one’s  thumb;  and  having  great  tenacity,  they  are  often  used  as 


20 


292  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

ropes  for  vessels.  Another  weed  kno^vn  as  velp,  with  leaves  four 
feet  long,  buried  in  the  coral  eonerciioas,  hung  at  the  bottom. 
It  served  as  nest  and  food  for  myriads  of  Crustacea  and  molluscs, 
crabs  and  cuttle-iish.  There  seals  and  otters  had  splendid  re¬ 
pasts,  eating  the  flesh  of  flsh  with  sea-vegetables,  according  to 
the  English  fashion.  Over  this  fertile  and  luxuriant  ground 
the  Nautilus  passed  with  great  rapidity.  Towards  evening,  it 
approached  the  Falkland  group,  the  rough  summits  of  which  I 
recognized  the  following  day.  The  depth  of  the  sea  was 
moderate.  On  the  shores,  our  nets  brougl  t  in  beautiful  speci¬ 
mens  of  sea- weed,  and  particularly  a  certain  fucus,  the  root  5  of 
which  were  fllled  with'*the  best  mussels  in  the  world.  Oeese 
and  ducks  fell  by  dozens  on  the  platform,  and  soon  took  their 
places  in  the  pantry  on  board.  With  regard  to  lish,  I  observed 
especially  specimens  of  the  goby  species,  some  two  feet  long,  all 
over  white  and  yellow  spots.  I  admired  also  numerous  medus?e, 
and  the  finest  of  the  sort,  the  crysaora,  peculiar  to  the  sea  about 
the  Falkland  Isles.  I  should  have  liked  to  preserve  some 
specimens  of  these  delicate  zoophytes;  but  they  are  only  like 
clouds,  shadows,  apparitions,  that  sink  and  evaporate,  when  out 
of  their  native  element. 

When  the  last  Iieights  of  the  Falklands  had  disappeared  from 
the  horizon,  the  Nautilus  sank  to  between  twenty  and  twenty- 
five  yards,  and  followed  the  American  coast.  Captain  Nemo  did 
not  show  himself.  Until  the  3d  of  April  we  did  not  quit  the 
shores  of  Patagonia,  sometimes  under  the  ocean,  sometimes  at 
the  surface.  The  Nautilus  passed  beyond  the  large  estuary 
formed  by  the  mouth  of  the  Plata,  and  was,  on  the  4th  of  April, 
fifty-six  miles  off  Uruguay.  Its  direction  was  northwards,  and  fol¬ 
lowed  the  long  windings  of  the  coast  of  South  America.  We  had 
then  made  16,000  miles  since  our  embarkation  in  the  seas  of 
Japan.  About  eleven  o’clock  in  the  morning  the  Tropic  of 
Capricorn  was  crossed  on  the  thirty-seventh  meridian,  and  we 
passed  Cape  Frio  standing  out  to  sea.  Captain  Nemo,  to  Ned 
Land’s  great  displeasure,  did  not  like  the  neighborhood  of  the 
inhabited  coasts  of  Brazil,  for  we  went  at  a  giddy  speed.  Not  a 
fish,  not  a  bird  of  the  swiftest  kind  could  follow  us,  and  the 
natural  curiosities  of  these  seas  escaped  all  observation. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  293 


This  speed  was  kept  up  for  several  days,  and  in  the  evening  of 
the  9th  of  April  we  sighted  the  most  easterly  point  of  South 
America  that  forms  Cape  San  Roque.  But  then  the  Nautilus 
swerved  again,  and  sought  the  lowest  depth  of  a  submarine  valley 
which  is  between  this  cape  and  Sierra  Leone  on  the  African 
coast.  This  valley  bifurcates  to  the  parallel  of  the  Antilles,  and 
tenninates  at  the  north  by  the  enormous  depression  of  9,000 
yards.  In  this  place,  the  geological  basin  of  the  ocean  forms,  as 
far  as  the  Lesser  Antilles,  a  cliff  of  three  and  a  half  miles  per¬ 
pendicular  in  height,  and  at  the  parallel  of  the  Cape  Verd 
Islands,  another  wall  not  less  considerable,  that  encloses  thus 
all  the  sunk  continent  of  the  Atlantic.  The  bottom  of  this  im¬ 
mense  valley  is  dotted  with  some  mountains,  that  give  to  tiiese 
submarine  places  a  picturesque  aspect.  I  speak,  moreover,  from 
the  manuscript  charts  that  were  in  the  library  of  the  Nautilus, 
—charts  evidently  due  to  Captain  Nemo’s  hand,  and  made  after 
his  personal  observations.  For  two  days  the  desert  and  deep 
waters  were  visited  by  means  of  the  inclined  planes.  The 
Nautilus  was  furnished  with  long  diagonal  broadsides  which 
carried  it  to  all  elevations.  But,  on  the  11th  of  April,  it  rose 
suddenly  and  land  appeared  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amazon  River, 
a  vast  estuary,  the  embouchure  of  which  is  so  considerable  that 
it  freshens  the  sea-water  for  the  distance  of  several  leagues. 

The  equator  was  crossed.  Twenty  miles  to  the  west  were  the 
Guianas,  a  French  tenitory,  on  which  we  could  have  found  an 
easy  refuge;  but  a  stiff  breeze  was  blowing,  and  the  furious 
waves  would  not  have  allowed  a  single  boat  to  face  them.  Ned 
Land  understood  that,  no  doubt,  for  he  spoke  not  a  word  about 
it.  For  my  part,  I  made  no  allusions  to  his  schemes  of  llight, 
for  I  would  not  urge  him  to  make  an  attempt  that  must  inevit- 
afbly  fail.  I  made  the  time  pass  pleasantly  by  interesting  studies. 
During  the  days  of  April  11th  and  12th,  the  Nautilus  did  not  leave 
the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  the  net  brought  in  a  marvellous  haul 
of  zoophytes,  fish  and  reptiles.  Some  zoophytes  had  been  fished 
up  by  the  chain  of  the  nets;  they  were  for  tlie  most  part  beauti¬ 
ful  phyctallines,  belonging  to  the  actinidian  family,  and  among 
other  species  the  phyctalis  protexta,  peculiar  to  that  part  of  the 
ocean,  with  a  little  cylindrical  trunk,  ornamented  with  vertical 


294  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

lines,  speckled,  with  red  dots,  crowning  a  marvellous  blossom¬ 
ing  of  tentacles.  As  to  the  molluscs,  they  consisted  of  some  I 
had  already  observed,— turritellas,  olive  porphyras,  with  regular 
lines  intercrossed,  with  red  spots  standing  out  plainly  against 
the  flesh;  odd  peteroceras,  like  petrified  scorpions;  translucid 
hyaeas,  argonauts,  cuttle-fish  (excellent  eating),  and  certain 
species  of  calmars  that  naturalists  of  antiquity  have  classed 
amongst  the  flying-fish,  and  that  serve  principally  for  bait  for 
cod  fishing.  I  had  not  an  opportunity  of  studying  se  veral 
species  of  fish  on  these  shores.  Amongst  the  cartilaginous  ones, 
petromyzons-pricka,  a  sort  of  eel,  fifteen  inches  long,  w  ith  a 
greemsh  head,  violet  fins,  gray-blue  back,  brown  beily,  silvered 
and  sown  with  bright  spots,  the  pupil  of  the  eye  encircled  with 
gold,— a  curious  animal,  that  the  current  of  the  Amazon  had 
drawn  to  the  sea,  for  they  inhabit  fresh  waters, — tuberculated 
streaks,  with  pointed  snouts  and  a  long  loose  tail,  armed  with 
a  long  jagged  sting;  little  sharks,  a  yard  long,  gray  and  whitish 
skin,  and  several  rows  of  teeth,  bent  back,  that  are  generally 
known  by  the  name  of  pantouffles;  vespertilios,  a  kind  of  red 
isosceles  triangle,  half  a  yard  long,  to  which  pectorals  are 
attached  by  fleshy  prolongations  that  make  them  look  like  bats, 
but  that  their  horny  appendage,  situated  near  the  nostrils,  has 
given  them  the  name  of  sea-unicorns;  lastly,  some  species  of 
balisteo,  the  curassavian,  whose  spots  w'ere  of  a  brilliant  gold 
color,  and  the  capriscus  of  clear  violet,  and  with  varying  shades 
like  a  pigeon’s  throat. 

I  end  here  this  catalogue,  which  is  somewhat  dry  perhaps, 
but  very  exact,  with  a  series  of  bony  fish  that  I  observed  in 
passing  belonged  to  the  apteronotes,  and  whose  snout  is  white 
as  snow,  the  body  of  a  beautiful  black,  marked  with  a  very 
long  loose  fleshy  strip ;  odontognathes,  armed  with  spikes; 
sardines,  nine  inches  long,  glittering  with  a  bright  silver  light; 
a  species  of  mackerel  provided  with  two  anal  fins;  centronotes 
of  a  blackish  tint,  that  are  fished  for  with  torches,  long  fis)\, 
two  yards  in  length,  with  fat  flesh,  white  and  firm,  which, 
when  they  are  fresh,  taste  like  eel,  and  when  dry,  hke  smoked 
salmon;  labres,  half  red,  covered  with  scales  only  at  the  bottom 
of  the  dorsal  and  anal  fins;  chrysoptera,  on  which  gold  and  silver 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  295 


blend  their  brightness  with  that  of  the  ruby  and  topaz; 
golden-tailed  spares,  the  flesh  of  wliich  is  extremely  delicate, 
and  whose  phosphorescent  properties  betray  them  in  the  midst 
of  the  waters;  orange-colored  spares,  with  a  long  tongue; 
maigres,  with  gold  caudal  fins,  dark  thorn-tails,  anableps  of 
Surinam,  etc. 

Notwithstanding  this  “  etcetera,”  I  must  not  omit  to  mention 
fish  that  Conseil  will  long  remember,  and  with  good  reason.  One 
of  our  nets  had  hauled  up  a  sort  of  very  flat  rayfish,  which,  with 
the  tail  cut  ofi,  formed  a  perfect  disk,  and  weighed  twenty  ounces. 
It  was  wiiite  underneath,  red  above,  with  large  round  spots  of 
dark  blue  encircled  with  black,  very  glossy  skin,  terminating  in  a 
a  biiobed  fin.  Laid  out  on  the  platform,  it  struggled,  tried  to  turn 
itself  by  convulsive  movements,  and  made  so  many  efforts  that 
one  last  turn  Iiad  nearly  sent  it  into  the  sea.  But  Conseil,  not 
wishing  to  let  the  fish  go,  rushed  to  it,  and,  before  I  could  pre¬ 
vent  him,  had  seized  it  with  both  hands.  In  a  moment  he  was 
overthrown,  his  legs  in  the  air,  and  half  liis  body  paralyzed, 
crying,— 

“  0  master,  master !  come  to  me  !  ” 

It  was  the  first  tiine  the  poor  boy  had  not  spoken  to  me  in  the 
third  person.  The  Canadian  and  I  took  him  up,  and  rubbed  his 
contracted  arms  till  he  became  sensidle.  The  unfortunate  Con- 
seii  had  attacked  a  crampfish  of  the  most  dangerous  kind,— the 
cuniana.  This  odd  animal,  in  a  medium  c.  nductor  like  water, 
strikes  fish  at  several  yards’  distance,  so  great  is  the  power  of 
its  electric  organ,  the  two  principal  surfaces  of  which  do  not 
measure  less  than  twenty-seven  square  feet.  The  next  day, 
April  12,  the  Nautilus  approached  the  Dutch  coast,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Maroni.  There  several  groups  of  sea-cows  herded 
together;  they  were  manatees,  that,  like  the  dugong  and  the 
stellera,  belong  to  the  sirenian  order.  These  beautiful  animals, 
peaceable  and  inoffensive,  from  eighteen  to  twenty-one  feet  in 
length,  weigh  at  least  sixteen  hundredweight.  I  told  Ned  I^and 
and  Conseil  that  provident  nature  had  assigned  an  important 
role  to  these  mammalia.  Indeed,  they,  like,  the  seals,  are  de¬ 
signed  to  graze  on  the  submarine  prairies,  and  thus  destroy  the 
accumulavion  of  weed  Ciat  obstructs  the  tropical  rivers. 


296  TWEISTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“And  do  you  know,”  I  added,  “what  has  been  the  result  since 
men  have  almost  entirely  annihilated  this  useful  race?  That 
the  putrefied  weeds  have  poisoned  the  air,  and  the  poisoned  air 
causes  the  yellow  fever,  that  desolates  these  beautiful  countries. 
Enormous  vegetations  are  multiplied  under  the  torrid  seas,  and 
the  evil  is  irresistibly  developed  from  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  de  .a 
Plata  to  Florida.  If  we  are  to  believe  Toussenel,  this  plague  is 
nothing  to  what  it  would  be  if  the  seas  were  cleared  of  whales 
and  seals.  Then,  infested  Vvdth  poulps,  niidusae  and  cuttle-fish, 
they  would  become  immense  centers  of  infection,  since  their 
waves  would  not  possess  ‘  these  vast  stomachs  that  God  had 
charged  to  infest  the  surface  of  the  seas.’  ” 

However,  without  disputing  these  theories,  the  crew  of  the 
Nautilus  took  possession  of  half  a  dozen  manatees.  They  pro¬ 
visioned  the  larders  with  excellent  fiesh,  superior  to  beef  and 
veal.  This  sport  was  not  interesting.  The  manatees  allowed 
themselves  to  be  hit  without  defending  themselves.  Several 
thousand  pouiids  of  meat  were  stored  up  on  board  to  be  dried. 
On  this  day,  a  successful  haul  of  fish  increased  the  stores  of  the 
Nautilus,  so  full  of  game  were  these  seas.  They  were  echeneides 
belonging  to  the  third  family  of  the  malacopterygiens;  their 
flattened  disks  were  composed  of  transverse  movable  cartilagin¬ 
ous  plates,  by  which  the  animal  was  enabled  to  create  a  vacuum, 
and  so  to  adhere  to  any  object  like  a  cupping-glass.  Theremo.  A 
that  I  had  observed  in  the  Mediterranean  belongs  to  this  species. 
But  the  one  of  which  we  are  speaking  was  the  echeneis  osteo 
chera,  peculiar  to  this  sea. 

The  fishing  over,  the  Nautilus  neared  the  coast.  About  here 
a  number  of  sea-turtles  were  sleeping  on  the  surface  of  the 
water.  It  would  have  been  difficult  to  capture  these  precious 
reptiles,  for  the  least  noise  awakens  them,  and  their  solid  skull 
is  proof  against  the  harpoon.  But  the  echeneis  effects  their 
capture  with  extraordinary  precision  and  certainty.  This  animal 
is,  indeed,  a  living  fishhook,  which  would  make  the  fortune  of 
an  inexperienced  fisherman.  The  crew  of  the  Nautilus  tied  a 
ring  to  the  tail  of  these  fish,  so  large  as  not  to  encumber  their 
movements,  and  to  this  ri.ug  a  long  cord,  lashed  to  the  ship's 
side  by  th^  other  end.  The  echeiioids,  thrown  into  the  sea,  di- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  29Y 


rectly  began  their  game,  and  fixed  themselves  to  the  breastplate 
of  the  turtles.  Tlieir  tenacity  was  such,  that  they  were 
torn  rather  than  let  go  their  hold.  The  men  hauled  them  on 
hoard,  and  with  them  the  turtles  to  which  they  adhered.  They 
took  also  several  cacouannes  a  yard  long,  which  weighed  400 
pounds.  Their  carapace  covered  with  large  horny  plates,  thin, 
transparent,  brown,  with  white  and  yellow  spots,  fetch  a  good 
price  in  the  market.  Besides,  they  were  excellent  in  an  edible 
point  of  view,  as  well  as  the  fresh  turtles,  which  have  an  ex¬ 
quisite  flavor.  This  day’s  fishing  brought  to  a  close  our  stay 
on  the  shores  of  the  Amazon,  and  by  nightfall  the  Nautilus  had 
regained  the  high  seas. 


CHAPTER  XVin. 


THE  POULPS. 

For  several  days  the  Nautilus  kept  off  from  the  American 
coast.  Evidently  it  did  not  wish  to  risk  the  tides  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  or  of  the  sea  of  the  Antilles.  April  16th  we  sighted 
Martinique  and  Guadaloupe  from  a  distance  of  about  thirty 
miles.  I  saw  their  tall  peaks  for  an  instant.  The  Canadian, 
who  counted  on  carrying  out  his  projects  in  the  Gulf,  by 
either  landing,  or  hailing  one  of  the  numerous  boats  that 
coast  from  one  island  to  another,  was  quite  disheartened. 
Flight  would  have  been  quite  practicable,  if  Ned  Land  had  been 
able  to  take  possession  of  the  boat  without  the  captain’s  knowl¬ 
edge.  But  in  the  open  sea  it  could  not  be  thought  of.  The 
Canadian,  Conseil  and  I  had  a  long  conversation  on  this  subject. 
For  six  months  we  had  been  prisoners  on  board  the  Nautilus. 
We  had  traveled  17,000  leagues;  and,  as  Ned  Land  said,  there 
was  no  reason  why  it  should  not  come  to  an  end.  We  could 
hope  nothing  from  the  captain  of  the  Nautilus,  but  only  from 
ourselves.  Besides,  for  some  time  past  he  had  become  gra  r, 
more  retired,  less  sociable.  He  seemed  to  shun  me.  I  met 
him  rarely.  Formerly,  he  was  pleased  to  explain  the  submarine 
marvels  to  me;  now,  he  left  me  to  my  studies,  and  came  no 
more  to  the  saloon.  What  change  had  come  over  hi, a?  For 
what  cause?  For  my  part,  I  did  not  wish  to  bury  with  me  my 
curious  and  novel  studies.  I  had  now  the  power  to  write  the 
true  book  of  the  sea;  and  this  book,  sooner  or  later,  I  wished  to 
see  daylight.  Then  again,  in  the  water  by  the  Antilles,  ten 
yards  below  the  surface  of  the  waters,  by  the  open  panels,  what 
interesting  products  I  had  to  enter  on  my  daily  notes  !  There 

m 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  299 


were,  among  other  zoophytes,  those  known  under  the  name  of 
physalis  pelagica,  a  sort  of  large  oblong  bladder  with  mother- 
of-pearl  rays,  holding  out  their  membranes  to  the  wind,  and 
letting  their  blue  tentacles  float  like  threads  of  silk;  charming 
medusae  to  the  eye,  real  nettles  to  the  touch,  that  distil  a  corro¬ 
sive  fluid.  There  were  also  annelides,  a  yard  and  a  half  long, 
furnished  with  a  pink  horn,  and  with  1,700  locomotive  organs, 
that  wi-ii  through  the  waters,  and  throw  out  in  passing  all  the 
light  of  the  solar  spectrum.  There  were,  in  the  fish  category, 
some  Malabar  rays,  enormous  gristly  things,  ten  feet  long, 
weighing  600  pounds,  the  pectoral  fin  triangular  in  the  midst 
of  a  slightly  humped  back,  the  eyes  fixed  in  tlie  extremities 
of  the  face,  beyond  the  head,  and  which  floated  like  weft,  and 
looked  sometimes  like  an  opaque  shutter  on  our  glass  window. 
There  were  American  balistoe,  which  nature  has  only  dressed  in 
black  and  white;  gobies,  with  yellow  fins  and  prominent  jaws; 
mackerel  sixteen  feet  long,  with  short-pointed  teeth,  covered 
with  small  scales,  belonging  to  the  albicore  species.  Then,  in 
swarms,  appeared  gray  mullet,  covered  with  stripes  of  gold  from 
the  head  to  the  tail,  beating  their  resplendent  fins,  like  master¬ 
pieces  of  jewelry,  consecrated  formerly  to  Diana,  particularly 
sought  after  by  rich  Romans,  and  of  which  the  proverb  says, 
“  Whoever  takes  them  does  not  eat  them.”  Lastly,  pomacanthe 
dorees,  ornamented  with  emerald  bands,  dressed  in  velvet  and 
silk,  passed  before  our  eyes  like  Veronese  lords;  spurred  spari 
passed  with  their  pectoral  hns;  clupanodons  fifteen  inches  long, 
enveloped  in  their  phosphorescent  light;  mullet  beat  the  sea 
wdth  their  large  jagged  tail;  red  vendaces  seemed  to  mow  the 
waves  with  their  showy  pectoral  fins;  and  silvery  selenes, 
W'orthy  of  their  name,  rose  on  the  horizon  of  the  waters  like  so 
many  moons  with  whitish  rays.  April  20th,  we  had  risen  to  a 
mean  height  of  1,50' '  yards.  The  land  nearest  us  then  was  the 
archipelago  of  the  Bahamas.  There  rose  high  submarine  cliffs 
covered  with  large  weeds,  giant  laminariae  and  fuci,  a  perfect 
espalier  of  hydrophytes  worthy  of  a  Titan  world.  It  was  about 
eleven  o’clock  when  Ned  Lund  drew  my  attention  to  a  formid¬ 
able  pricking,  like  the  sting  of  an  ant,  which  was  produced  by 
means  of  large  sea-weeds. 


300  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“Well,”  I  said,  “these  are  proper  caverns  for  poulps,  and  I 
should  not  be  astonished  to  see  some  of  these  monsters.” 

“What!”  said  Conseil;  “cuttle-fish,  real  cuttle-fish,  of  the 
cephalopod  class?” 

“No,”  I  said;  “poulps  of  huge  dimensions.” 

“  I  will  never  believe  that  such  animals  exist,”  said  Ned. 

“  Well,”  said  Conseil,  with  the  most  serious  air  in  the  world, 
“  I  remember  perfectly  to  have,  seen  a  large  vessel  drawn  under 
the  waves  by  a  cephalopod’s  arm.” 

“You  saw  that?”  said  the  Canadian. 

Yes,  Ned.” 

With  your  own  eyes?” 

“  With  my  own  eyes.” 

“  Where,  pray,  might  that  be?” 

“  At  St.  Male,”  answered  Conseil. 

“In  the  port?”  said  Ned,  ironically. 

“No;  in  a  church,”  replied  Conseil. 

“  In  a  church  I”  cried  the  Canadian. 

“Yes;  friend  Ned.  In  a  picture  representing  the  poulp  in 
question.” 

“Good !”  said  Ned  Land,  bursting  out  laughing. 

“He  is  quite  right,”  I  said.  “ I  have  heard  of  this  picture; 
but  the  subject  represented  is  taken  from  a  legend,  and  you 
know  what  to  think  of  legends  in  the  matter  of  natural  history. 
Besides,  when  it  is  a  question  of  monsters,  the  iaiagination  is 
apt  to  run  wild.  Not  only  is  it  supposed  that  these  poulps  can 
draw  down  vessels,  but  a  certain  Olaus  Magn^.o  speaks  of  a 
cephalopod  a  mile  long,  that  is  more  like  l  \  island  than  an 
animal.  It  is  also  said  that  the  Bishop  of  Nidros  was  building 
an  altar  on  an  immense  rock.  Mass  finished,  the  rock  began  to 
walk,  and  returned  to  the  sea.  The  rock  was  a  poulp.  Another 
bishop,  Pontoppidan,  speaks  also  of  a  poulp  on  which  a  regi¬ 
ment  of  cavalry  could  manoeuvre.  Lastly,  the  ancient  natural¬ 
ists  speak  of  monsters  whose  mouths  were  fike  gulfs,  and  which 
were  too  large  to  pass  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.” 

“But  how  much  is  true  of  these  stories?”  asked  Conseil. 

“Nothing,  my  friends;  at  least  of  that  which  passes  the  limit 
of  truth  to  get  to  fable  or  legend.  Nevertheless,  there  must  be 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  301 


some  ground  for  the  imagination  of  the  story-tellers.  One  can 
not  deny  that  poulps  and  cuttle-fish  exist  of  a  large  species,  in¬ 
ferior,  however,  to  the  cetaceans.  Aristotle  has  stated  the  dimen¬ 
sions  of  a  cuttle-fish  as  five  cubits,  or  nine  feet  two  inches.  Our 
fishermen  frequently  see  some  that  are  more  than  four  feet 
long.  Some  skeletons  of  poulps  are  preserved  in  the  museums 
of  Trieste  and  Montpelier,  that  measure  two  yards  in  length. 
Besides,  according  to  the  calculations  of  some  naturalists,  one 
of  these  animals,  only  six  feet  long,  would  have  tentacles  twen¬ 
ty-seven  feet  long.  That  would  suffice  to  make  a  formidable 
monster.” 

“  Do  they  fish  for  them  in  these  days?”  asked  Ned. 

“  If  they  do  not  fish  for  them,  sailors  see  then at  least.  One 
of  my  friends.  Captain  Paul  Bos  of  Havre,  has  often-  affirmed 
that  he  met  one  of  these  monsters,  of  colossal  dimensions,  in 
the  Indian  seas.  But  the  most  astonishing  fact,  and  which  does 
not  permit  of  the  denial  of  the  existence  of  tiiese  gigantic 
animals,  happened  some  years  ago,  in  1861.” 

“  What  is  the  fact?”  asked  Ned  Land. 

“Tins  is  it.  In  1861,  to  the  northeast  of  TeneriTe,  very  nearly 
in  the  same  latitude  we  are  in  now,  the  crew  of  the  despatch- 
boat  Alector  perceived'a  monstrous  cuttle-fish  swimming  in  the 
waters.  Captain  Bouguer  went  near  to  the  animal,  and  attacked 
it  with  harpoons  and  guns,  without  much  success,  for  balls  and 
harpoons  glided  over  the  soft  flesh.  After  several  fruitless 
attempts,  the  crew  tried  to  pass  a  slip-knot  round  the  body  of 
the  mollusc.  The  noose  slipped  as  far  as  the  caudal  fins,  and 
there  stopped.  They  tried  then  to  haul  it  on  board,  but  its 
weight  was  so  considerable  that  the  tightness  of  the  cord  sepa¬ 
rated  the  tail  from  the  body,  and,  deprived  of  this  ornament, 
he  disappeared  under  the  water.” 

“Indeed  !  is  that  a  fact?” 

“An  indisputable  fact,  my  good  Ned.  They  proposed  to  name 
this  poulp  ‘  Bouguer’s  cuttle-fish.’  ” 

“What  length  was  it?”  asked  the  Canadian. 

“  Did  it  not  measure  about  six  yards  ?  ”  said  Conseil,  who, 
posted  at  the  window,  was  examining  again  the  irregular  wind¬ 
ings  of  the  cliff. 


302  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

“Precisely,”  I  replied. 

“Its  head,”  rejoined  Conseil,  “was  it  not  crowned  with  eight 
tentacles,  that  beat  the  water  like  a  nest  of  serpents?” 

“  Precisely.” 

“  Had  not  its  eyes,  placed  at  the  back  of  its  head,  considerable 
development?” 

“  Yes,  Conseil.” 

“  And  was  not  its  mouth  like  a  parrot’s  beak?  ” 

“Exactly,  Conseil.” 

“Very  well!  no  offense  to  master,”  he  replied,  quietly;  “if 
this  is  not  Bouguer’s  cuttle-fish,  it  is,  at  least,  one  of  its  broth¬ 
ers.” 

I  looked  at  Conseil.  Ned  Land  hurried  to  the  window. 

“  What  a  horrible  beast  I”  he  cried. 

Hooked  in  my  turn,  and  could  not  repress  a  gesture  of  disgust. 
Before  my  eyes  was  a  horrible  monster,  worthy  to  figure  in  the 
legends  of  the  marvelous.  It  was  an  immense  cuttle-fish,  being 
eight  yards  long.  It  swam  crossways  in  the  direction  of  the 
Nautilus  with  great  speed,  watching  us  with  its  enormous 
staring  green  eyes.  Its  eight  arms,  or  rather  feet,  fixed  to  its 
head,  that  have  given  the  name  of  cephalopod  to  these  animals, 
were  twice  as  long  as  its  body  and  were  twisted  like  the  Furies’ 
hair.  One  could  see  the  250  air-holes  on  the  inner  side  of  the 
tentacles.  The  monster’s  mouth,  a  horned  beak  like  a  parrot’s, 
opened  and  shut  vertically.  Its  tongue,  a  horned  substance, 
furnished  with  several  rows  of  pointed  teeth,  came  out  quiver¬ 
ing  from  this  veritable  pair  of  shears.  What  a  freak  of  nature, 
a  bird’s  beak  on  a  mollusc !  Its  spindle-like  body  formed  a 
fleshy  mass  that  might  weigh  4,000  or  5,000  lbs.;  the  varying 
color  changing  with  great  rapidity,  according  to  the  irritation 
of  the  animal,  passed  successively  from  livid  gray  to  reddish 
brown.  What  irritated  this  mollusc?  No  doubt  the  presence  of 
the  Nautilus,  more  formidable  than  itself,  and  on  which  its 
suckers  or  its  jaws  had  no  hold.  Yet,  what  monsters  these 
poulps  are  1  what  vitality  the  Creator  has  given  them !  what 
vigor  in  their  movements  !  and  they  possess  three  hearts ! 
Chance  had  brought  us  in  presence  of  this  cuttle-fish,  and  I  did 
not  wish  to  lose  the  opportunity  of  carefully  studying  this  speci- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  803 


men  of  cepbalopods.  I  overcame  the  horror  that  inspired  me; 
and,  taking  a  pencil,  began  to  draw  it. 

“Perhaps  tliis  is  the  same  which  the  Alector  saw,”  said 
Conseil. 

“No,”  replied  the  Canadian;  “for  tliis  is  whole,  and  the  other 
liad  lost  its  tail.” 

“That  is  no  reason,”  I  replied.  “The  arms  and  tails  of 
these  animals  are  reformed  by  redintegration;  and,  in  seven 
years,  the  tail  of  Bouguer’s  cuttle-fish  has  no  doubt  had  it  me  to 
grow.” 

By  this  time  other  poulps  appeared  at  the  port  light.  I 
counted  seven.  They  formed  a  procession  after  the  Nautilus, 
and  I  heard  their  beaks  gnashing  against  the  iron  hull.  I 
continued  my  work.  These  monsters  kept  in  the  water  with 
such  precision,  that  they  seemed  immovable.  Suddenly  the 
Nautilus  stopped.  A  shock  made  it  tremble  in  every  plate. 

“  Have  we  struck  any  tlfing?  ”  I  asked. 

“  In  any  case,”  replied  the  Canadian,  “  we  shall]  be  free,  for 
we  are  floating.” 

The  Nautilus  was  floating,  no  doubt,  but  it  did  not  move. 
A  minute  passed.  Captain  Nemo,  followed  by  his  lieutenant, 
entered  the  drawing-room.  I  had  not  seen  him  for  some 
time.  He  seemed  dull.  Without  noticing  or  speaking  to  us,  he 
went  to  the  panel,  looked  at  the  poulps,  and  said  something 
to  his  lieutenant.  The  latter  went  out.  Soon  the  panels  were 
shut.  The  ceiling  was  lighted.  I  went  towards  the  captain. 

“  A  curious  collection  of  poulps?  ”  I  said. 

“Yes,  indeed,  Mr.  Naturalist,”  he  replied;  “and  we  are  going 
to  fight  them,  man  to  beast.” 

I  looked  at  him.  I  thought  I  had  not  heard  aright. 

“Man  to  beast?  ”  I  repeated. 

“  Yes,  sir.  The  screw  is  stopped.  I  think  that  the  horny  jaw 
of  one  of  the  cuttle-fish  is  entangled  in  the  blades.  That  is 
what  prevents  our  moving.” 

“  What  are  you  going  to  do?  ” 

“  Rise  to  the  surface,  and  slaughter  this  vermin.” 

“A  difficult  enterprise.” 

“Yes,  indeed.  The  electric  buflets  are  powerless  against  the 


304  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

soft  flesh,  where  they  do  not  find  resistance  enough  to  go  off. 
But  we  shall  attack  them  with  the  hatchet.” 

“And  the  harpoon,  sir,”  said  the  Canadian,  “if  you  do  not 
refuse  my  help.” 

“  I  will  accept  it.  Master  Land.” 

“We  will  follow  you,”  I  said;  and  following  Captain  Nemo, 
we  went  towards  the  central  staircase. 

There,  about  ten  men  with  boarding  hatchets  were  ready 
for  the  attack.  Conseil  and  I  took  two  hatchets ;  Ned 
Land  seized  a  harpoon.  The  Nautilus  had  then  risen  to 
the  surface.  One  of  the  sailors,  posted  on  the  top  ladder- 
step,  unscrewed  the  bolts  of  the  panels.  But  hardly  were  the 
screws  loosed,  when  the  panel  rose  with  great  violence,  evi¬ 
dently  drawn  by  the  suckers  of  a  poulp’s  arm.  Immediately 
one  of  these  arms  slid  like  a  serpent  down  the  opening,  and 
twenty  others  were  above.  With  one  blow  of  the  axe.  Captain 
Nemo  cut  this  formidable  tentacle,  that  slid  wriggling  down 
the  ladder.  Just  as  we  were  pressing  one  on  the  other  to 
reach  the  platform,  two  other  arms,  lashing  the  air,  came 

down  on  the  seaman  placed  before  Captain  Nemo,  and  lifted 

0 

him  up  with  irresistible  power.  Captain  Nemo  uttered  a 
cry,  and  rushed  out.  We  hurried  after  him. 

What  a  scene  !  The  unhappy  man,  seized  by  the  tentacle,  and 
fixed  to  the  suckers,  was  balanced  in  the  air  at  the  caprice  of 
this  enormous  trunk.  He  rattled  in  his  throat,  he  cried,  “  Help! 
help  !  ”  These  words,  spolcen  in  French,  startled  me !  I  had 
a  fellow-countryman  on  board,  perhaps  several  I  That  heart¬ 
rending  cry  I  I  shall  hear  it  all  my  life.  The  unfortunate  man 
was  lost.  Who  could  rescue  him  from  that  powerful  pressure? 
However,  Captain  Nemo  had  rushed  to  the  poulp,  and  with  one 
blow  of  the  axe  had  cut  through  one  arm.  His  lieutenant  struggled 
furiously  against  other  monsters  that  crept  on  the  flanks  of  the 
Nautilus.  The  crew  fought  with  their  axes.  The  Canadian, 
Conseil,  and  I  buried  our  weapons  in  the  fleshy  masses;  a  strong 
smell  of  musk  penetrated  the  atmosphere.  It  was  horrible ! 

For  one  instant,  I  thought  the  unhappy  man  entangled  with 
the  poulp  would  be  tom  from  its  powerful  suction.  Seven  of 
the  eight  arms  had  been  cut  off.  One  only  wriggled  in  the  air, 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  305 


brandishing  the  victim  like  a  feather.  But  just  as  Captain 
Nemo  and  his  lieutenant  threw  themselves  on  it,  the  animal 
ejected  a  stream  of  black  liquid.  We  were  blinded  with  it. 
When  the  cloud  dispersed,  the  cuttle-fish  had  disappeared,  and 
my  unfortunate  countryman  with  it.  Ten  or  twelve  poulps  now 
invaded  the  platform  and  sides  of  the  Nautilus.  We  rolled  peU- 
mell  into  the  midst  of  this  nest  of  serpents,  that  wriggled  on 
the  platform  in  the  waves  of  blood  and  ink.  It  seemed  as 
though  these  slimy  tentacles  sprang  up  like  the  hydra’s  heads. 
Ned  Land’s  harpoon,  at  each  stroke,  was  plunged  into  the 
staring  eyes  of  the  cuttle-fish.  But  my  bold  companion  was 
suddenly  overturned  by  the  tentacles  of  a  monster  he  had  not 
been  able  to  avoid. 

Ah !  how  my  heart  beat  with  emotion  and  horror !  The 
formidable  beak  of  a  cuttle-fish  was  open  over  Ned  Land. 
The  unhappy  man  would  be  cut  in  two.  I  rushed  to  his 
succor.  But  Captain  Nemo  was  before  me;  his  axe  disappeared 
between  the  two  enormous  jaws,  and,  miraculously  saved,  the 
Canadian,  rising,  plunged  his  harpoon  deep  into  the  triple 
heart  of  the  poulp. 

“  I  owed  myself  this  revenge  !  ”  said  the  captain  to  the 
Canadian. 

Ned  bowed  without  replying.  The  combat  had  lasted  a  quarter 
of  an  hour.  The  monsters,  vanquished  and  mutilated,  left  us 
at  last,  and  disappeared  under  the  waves.  Captain  Nemo, 
covered  with  blood,  nearly  exliausted,  gazed  upon  the  sea  that 
had  swallowed  up  one  of  his  companions,  and  great  tears 
gatliered  in  his  eyes. 


ai 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE  GULF  STREAM. 

Tms  terrible  scene  of  the  20th  of  April  none  of  us  can  evei 
forget.  I  have  written  it  under  the  influence  of  violent  emotion. 
Since  then  I  have  revised  the  recital;  I  have  read  it  to  Conseil 
and  to  the  Canadian.  They  found  it  exact  as  to  facts,  but 
insufflcient  as  to  effect.  To  paint  such  pictures,  one  must  have 
the  pen  of  the  most  illustrious  of  our  poets,  the  author  of  “  The 
Toilers  of  the  Deep.” 

I  have  said  that  Captain  Nemo  wept  while  watching  the 
waves;  his  grief  was  great.  It  was  the  second  companion  he 
had  lost  since  our  arrival  on  board,  and  what  a  death !  That 
friend,  crushed,  stifled,  bruised  by  the  dreadful  arms  of  apoulp, 
pounded  by  his  iron  jaws,  would  not  rest  with  his  comrades  in 
the  peaceful  coral  cemetery  !  In  the  midst  of  this  struggle,  it 
was  the  despairing  cry  uttered  by  the  unfortunate  man  that 
had  torn  my  heart.  The  poor  Frenchman,  forgetting  his 
conventional  language,  had  taken  to  his  own  mother  tongue, 
to  utter  a  last  appeal !  Amongst  the  crew  of  the  Nautilus, 
associated  with  the  body  and  soul  of  the  captain,  recoiling  like 
him  from  all  contact  with  men,  I  had  a  fellow-countryman. 
Did  he  alone  represent  France  in  this  mysterious  association, 
evidently  composed  of  individuals  of  divers  nationalities?  It 
was  one  of  these  insoluble  problems  that  rose  up  unceasingly 
before  my  mind ! 

Captain  Nemo  entered  his  room,  and  I  saw  him  no  more  for 
some  time.  But  that  he  was  sad  and  irresolute  I  could  see  by 
the  vessel,  of  which  he  was  the  soul,  and  which  received  all  his 
impressions.  The  Nautilus  did  not  keep  on  in  its  settled  course; 
it  floated  about  like  a  corpse  at  the  will  of  the  waves.  It  went 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS,  307 


at  random.  He  could  not  tear  liimself  away  from  the  scene  of 
tne  lasi  siruggie,  from  this  sea  that  had  devoured  one  of  his  men. 
Ten  uays  passed  thus.  It  was  not  till  the  1st  of  May  that  tha 
Nautilus  resmned  its  northerly  course,  after  having  sighted  the 
Bahamas  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bahama  Canal.  We  were  then 
following  the  current  from  the  largest  river  to  the  sea,  that  has 
its  banks,  its  fish,  and  its  proper  temperatures.  I  mean  the  Gulf 
Stream.  It  is  really  a  river,  that  flows  freely  to  the  middle  of  the 
Atlantic,  and  whose  waters  do  not  mix  with  the  ocean  waters, 
it  is  a  salt  river,  salter  than  the  surrounding  sea.  Its  mean 
depth  is  1,500  fathoms,  its  mean  breadth  ten  miles.  In  certain 
places  the  current  flows  witli  the  speed  of  two  miles  and  a  half 
an  hour.  The  body  of  its  v/aters  is  more  considerable  than  that 
of  all  the  rivers  in  the  globe.  It  was  on  this  ocean  river  that 
the  Nautilus  then  sailed. 

Tills  current  carried  with  it  ail  kinds  of  living  things.  Argon¬ 
auts,  so  common  in  the  Mediterranean,  were  there  in  quantities. 
Of  the  gristly  sort,  the  most  remarkable  were  the  turbot,  whose 
slender  tails  form  nearly  the  third  part  of  the  body,  and  that 
looked  like  large  lozenges  twenty-five  feet  long;  also,  small 
sharks  a  yard  long,  with  large  heads,  short  rounded  muzzles, 
pointed  tc :  !;■'  in  several  rows,  and  whose  bodies  seemed  covered 
with  scales.  Among  the  bony  fish  I  noticed  some  gray  gobies, 
peculiar  to  these  waters;  black  giltheads,  whose  iris  shone  like 
lire;  sirenes  a  yard  long,  with  large  snouts  thickly  set  with  little 
teeth,  that  uttered  little  cries;  blue  coryphsenes,  in  gold  and 
silver;  parrots,  like  the  rainbows  of  the  ocean,  that  could  rival 
in  color  the  most  beautiful  tropical  bii’ds;  blennies  with  tri¬ 
angular  heads;  bluish  rhombs  destitute  of  scales;  batrachoides 
covered  with  yellow  transversal  bands  like  a  Greek  r ;  heaps  of 
little  gobies  spotted  with  yellow;  dipterodons  with  silvery  heads 
and  yellow  tails;  several  specimens  of  salmon,  mugilomores 
slender  in  shape,  shining  with  a  soft  light  that  Lacepede  con¬ 
secrated  to  the  service  of  his  wife;  and  lastly,  a  beautiful  fish, 
the  American-knight,  that,  decorated  with  all  the  orders  and 
ribbons,  frequents  the  shores  of  this  great  nation,  that  esteems 
orders  and  ribbons  so  little. 

I  must  add  that,  during  the  night,  the  phosphorescent  waters 


808  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

of  the  Gulf  stream  rivalled  the  electric  power  of  our  watch- 
light,  especially  in  the  stormy  weather  that  threatened  us  so 
frequently.  May  8th,  we  were  still  crossing  Cape  Hatteras,  at 
the  height  of  the  North  Caroline.  The  width  of  the  Gulf  Stream 
there  is  seventy-five  miles,  and  its  depth  210  yards.  The  Naut¬ 
ilus  still  went  at  random;  all  sunervisior-  seemed  abandoned.  I 
thought  that,  under  these  circumstances,  escape  would  be  pos¬ 
sible.  Indeed,  the  inhabited  shores  offered  any  where  an  easy 
refuge.  The  sea  was  incessantly  ploughed  by  the  steamers  that 
ply  between  New  York  or  Boston  and  the  Gulf  of  Mex  "*0,  and 
overrun  day  and  night  by  tne  little  schooners  coasting  about  the 
several  parts  of  the  American  coast.  We  cou’d  hope  to  be  picked 
up.  It  was  a  favorable  opportunity,  notwithstanding  the  thirty 
miles  that  separated  the  Nautilus  from  the  coast  of  the  Umon. 
One  unfortunate  circumstance  thwarted  the  Canadian’s  plans. 
The  weather  was  very  bad.  W'e  were  nearing  those  shores 
where  tempests  are  so  frequent,  that  country  of  waterspouts  and 
cyclones  actually  engendered  by  the  current  of  the  Gulf  Stream. 
To  tempt  the  sea  in  a  frail  boat  was  certain  destruction.  Ned 
Lanu  owned  this  himself.  He  fretted,  seizeu  with  nostalgia  that 
night  only  could  cure. 

“  Master,”  he  said  that  day  to  me,  “  this  must  come  to  an  end. 
I  must  make  a  clean  breast  of  it.  This  Nemo  is  leaving  land 
and  going  up  to  the  north.  But  I  declare  to  you,  I  have  had 
enough  of  the  South  Foie,  and  I  will  not  follow  him  to  the 
North.” 

“What  is  to  be  done,  Ned,  since  flight  is  impracticable  just 
now  ?  ” 

“  We  must  speak  to  the  captain,”  said  he;  “you  said  nothing 
when  we  were  in  your  native  seas.  I  will  speak,  now  we  are 
in  mme.  When  I  think  that  before  long  the  Nautilus  will  be 
by  Nova  Scotia,  and  that  there  near  Newfoundland  is  a  large 
bay,  and  into  that  bay  the  St.  Lawrence  empties  itself,  and  that 
the  St.  Lawrence  is  my  river,  the  river  by  Quebec,  my  native 
town,— when  I  think  of  this  I  feel  furious,  it  makes  my  nair 
stand  on  end.  Sir,  I  would  rather  throw  myself  into  the  sea  I 
I  will  not  stay  here!  I  am  stifled  1  ” 

The  Canadian  was  evidently  losing  all  patience.  His  vigorous 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  809 


nature  could  not  stand  this  prolonged  imprisonment.  His  face 
altered  daily ;  his  temper  became  more  surly.  I  knew  what  he 
must  suffer,  for  I  was  seized  with  nostalgia  myself.  Nearly 
seven  months  had  passed  without  our  having  had  any  news 
from  land;  Captain  Nemo’s  isolation,  his  altered  spirits,  espe¬ 
cially  since  the  fight  with  the  poulps,  his  taciturnity,  all  made 
me  view  things  in  a  different  light. 

“Well,  sir?”  said  Ned,  seeing  I  did  not  reply. 

“Well,  Ned,  do  you  wish  me  to  ask  Captain  Nemo  his  inten¬ 
tions  concerning  us?  ” 

“  Yes,  sir.” 

“  Although  he  has  already  made  them  known?  ” 

“Yes;  I  wish  it  settled  finally.  Speak  for  me,  in  my  name 
only,  if  you  like.” 

“But  I  so  seldom  meet  him.  He  avoids  me.” 

“  That  is  all  the  more  reason  for  you  to  go  to  see  him.” 

I  went  to  my  room.  From  thence  I  meant  to  go  to  Captain 
Nemo’s.  It  would  not  do  to  let  this  opportunity  of  meeting  him 
slip.  I  knocked  at  the  door.  No  answer.  I  knocked  again, 
then  turned  the  handle.  The  door  opened,  I  went  in.  The  cap¬ 
tain  was  there.  Bending  over  his  work-table,  he  had  not  heard 
me.  Resolved  not  to  go  without  having  spoken,  I  approached 
him.  He  raised  liis  head  quickly,  frowned,  and  said  roughly, 
“You  here !  Wliat  do  you  want?  ” 

“  To  speak  to  you.  Captain.” 

“But  I  am  busy,  sir;  lam  working.  I  leave  you  at  liberty  to 
shut  yourself  up;  can  not  I  be  allowed  the  same?” 

This  reception  was  not  encouraging;  but  I  was  determined 
to  hear  and  answer  every  thing. 

“  Sir,”  I  said,  coldly,  “  I  have  to  speak  to  you  on  a  matter  that 
admits  of  no  delay.” 

“  Wliat  is  that,  sir?  ”  he  replied  ironically.  “  Have  you  dis¬ 
covered  something  that  has  escaped  me,  or  has  the  sea  delivered 
up  any  new  secrets?  ” 

We  were  at  cross-purposes.  But  before  I  could  reply,  he 
showed  me  an  open  manuscript  on  his  table,  and  said,  in  a 
more  serious  tone,  “  Here,  M.  Aronnax,  is  a  manuscript  written 
in  several  languages.  It  contains  the  sum  of  my  studies  of  the 


310  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEA8. 

sea;  and,  if  it  please  God,  it  shall  not  perish  with  me.  This 
manuscript,  signed  with  my  name,  completed  with  the 
history  of  my  hfe,  will  be  shut  up  in  a  little  insubmersible  case. 
The  last  survivor  of  all  of  us  on  board  the  Nautilus  will  throw 
this  case  into  the  sea,  and  it  will  go  whither  it  is  borne  by  the 
waves.” 

This  man’s  name !  liis  history  written  by  liimself  !  His  mys¬ 
tery  would  then  be  revealed  some  day. 

“  Captaui,”  I  said,  “  I  can  but  approve  of  the  idea  that  makes 
you  act  thus.  The  result  of  your  studies  must  not  be  lost.  But 
the  means  you  en^loy  seem  to  me  to  be  primitive.  Wlio  knows 
where  the  winds  will  carry  this  case,  and  in  whose  hands  it 
will  fall?  Could  you  not  use  some  other  means?  Could  not 
you,  or  one  of  yours—” 

“  Never,  sir  !  ”  he  said,  hastily  interrupting  me. 

“  But  I  and  my  companions  are  ready  to  keep  this  manuscript 
in  store ;  and,  if  you  will  put  us  at  liberty—” 

“  At  liberty?  ”  said  the  captain,  rismg. 

“Yes,  sir;  that  is  the  subject  on  which  I  wished  to  question 
you.  For  seven  months  we  have  been  here  on  board,  and  I  ask 
you  to-day,  in  the  name  of  my  companions,  and  in  my  own,  if 
your  intention  is  to  keep  us  here  always?  ” 

“iu.  Aronnax,  I  will  answer  you  to-day  as  I  did  seven  months 
ago;  whoever  enters  the  Nautilus  must  never  quit  it.” 

“  You  impose  actual  slavery  on  us  !  ” 

“  Give  it  what  name  you  please.” 

“But  every  where  the  slave  has  the  right  to  regain  his 
liberty.” 

“  Who  denies  you  this  right?  Have  I  ever  tried  to  chain  you 
with  an  oath?” 

He  looked  at  me  with  his  arms  crossed. 

“  Sir,”  I  said,  “  to  return  a  second  time  to  this  subject  will  be 
neither  to  your  nor  to  my  taste;  but  as  we  have  entered  upon  it, 
let  us  go  through  with  it.  I  repeat,  it  is  not  only  myself  whom 
it  concerns.  Study  is  to  me  a  relief,  a  diversion,  a  passion  that 
could  make  me  forget  every  thing.  Like  you,  I  am  wilhng  to 
live  obscure  in  the  frail  hope  of  bequeathing  one  day,  to  futm’e 
time,  the  result  of  my  labors.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  Ned 


twenty  thousand  leagues  Under  the  seas.  §11 


Land.  Every  man,  worthy  of  the  name,  v^eserves  some  consider¬ 
ation.  Have  you  thought  that  love  of  liberty,  hatred  of  slavery, 
can  give  rise  to  schemes  of  revenge  in  a  nature  like  the  Canar 
(Man’s;  that  he  could  think,  attempt,  and  trj"— 

I  was  silenced;  Captain  Nemo  rose. 

“  Whatever  Ned  Land  thinks  of,  attempts,  or  tries,  what  does 
it  matter  to  me?  I  (Md  not  seek  him  !  It  is  not  for  my  pleasure 
that  I  keep  him  on  board  !  As  for  you,  M.  Aronnax,  you  are  one 
of  those  who  can  understand  everj^  thing,  even  silence.  I  have 
nothing  more  to  say  to  you.  Let  tliis  first  time  you  have  come 
to  treat  of  this  subject  be  the  last;  for  a  second  time  I  will  not 
Msten  to  you.” 

I  retired.  Our  situation  was  critical.  I  related  my  conversa¬ 
tion  to  my  two  companions. 

“  We  know  now,”  said  Ned,  “  that  we  can  expect  nothing  from 
this  man.  The  Nautilus  is  nearing  Long  Island.  We  will 
escape,  whatever  the  weather  may  be.” 

But  the  sky  became  more  and  more  threatening.  Symptoms 
of  a  huiTicane  became  manifest.  The  atmosphere  was  becoming 
white  and  misty.  On  the  horizon  fine  streaks  of  cirrhous  clouds 
were  succeeded  by  masses  of  cumuli.  Other  low  clouds  passed 
swiftly  by.  The  swollen  sea  rose  in  huge  billows.  The  birds 
disappeared,  with  the  exception  of  the  petrels,  those  friends  of 
the  storm.  The  barometer  fell  sensibly,  and  indicated  an  ex¬ 
treme  tension  of  the  vapors.  The  mixture  of  the  storm-glass 
was  decomposed  under  the  influence  of  the  electricity  that  per¬ 
vaded  the  atmosphere.  The  tempest  burst  on  the  18th  of  May, 
just  as  the  Nautilus  was  floating  off  Long  Island,  some  miles 
from  the  _  .rt  of  New  York.  I  can  describe  tliis  strife  of  the 
elements  !  for,  instead  of  fleeing  to  the  dep^..^  of  the  sea.  Cap¬ 
tain  Nemo,  by  an  unaccountable  caprice,  would  brave  it  at  the 
surface.  The  wind  blew  from  the  southwest  at  first.  Captain 
Nemo,  during  the  squalls,  had  taken  his  place  on  the  platform. 
He  had  made  himself  fast,  to  prevent-  being  washed  overboard 
by  the  monstrous  waves.  I  had  hoisted  myself  up,  and  made 
myself  fast  also,  dividing  my  admiration  between  the  tempest 
and  this  extraordinary  man  who  was  coping  with  it.  The  raging 
sea  was  swept  by  huge  cloud-drifts,  which  were  actually  satu- 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEiGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

rated  with  the  waves.  The  Nautilus,  sometimes  lying  on  its 
side,  sometimes  standing  up  hke  a  mast,  rolled  and  'itehed  ter¬ 
ribly.  About  five  o’clock  a  torrent  of  rain  fell,  that  lulled  neither 
sea  nor  wind.  The  hurricane  blew  nearly  forty  leagues  an  hour. 
Ii  is  under  these  conditions  that  it  overturns  houses,  breaks 
iron  gates,  displaces  twenty-four  pounders.  However,  the  Nau¬ 
tilus,  in  the  midst  of  the  tempest,  confirmed  the  words  of  a 
clever  engineer:  “  There  is  no  well-constructed  hull  that  can 
not  defy  the  sea.”  This  was  not  a  resisting  rock;  it  was  a  steel 
spindle,  obedient  and  movable,  without  rigging  or  masts,  that 
braved  its  fury  with  impunity.  However,  I  watched  these  raging 
waves  attentively.  They  measured  fifteen  feet  in  height,  and 
150  to  170  yards  long,  and  their  speed  of  propagation  was  thirty 
feet  per  seconi.  Their  bulk  and  power  increased  with  the 
depth  of  the  ter.  Such  waves  as  these  at  the  Hebrides  have 
displaced  a  mass  weighing  )  lbs.  They  are  they  which,  in 
the  tempest  of  December  :  ,  IStH,  after  destroying  the  town  of 
Yeddo,  in  Japan,  broke  the  same  day  on  the  shores  of  America. 
The  intensity  of  the  tempest  increased  with  the  night.  The 
barometer,  as  in  1880  at  Reunion  during  a  cyclone,  fell  seven- 
tenths  at  the  close  of  day.  I  saw  a  large  vessel  pass  the 
horizon,  struggling  painfully.  She  was  trying  to  lie  to  under 
half-steam,  to  keep  up  above  the  waves.  It  was  probably  one 
of  the  steamers  of  the  line  from  New  York  to  Liverpool  or  Havre, 
It  soon  disappeared  in  the  gloom.  At  ten  o’clock  in  the  evening 
the  sky  was  on  fire.  The  atmosphere  was  streaked  with  vivid 
lightning.  I  could  not  bear  the  brightness  of  it;  while  the  cap¬ 
tain,  looldng  at  it,  seemed  to  envy  the  spirit  of  the  tempest.  A 
terrible  noise  filled  the  air,  a  complex  noise,  made  up  of  the 
howls  of  the  crushed  waves,  the  roaring  of  the  wind,  and  the 
claps  of  thunder.  The  wmd  veered  suddenly  to  all  points  of 
the  horizon;  and  the  cyclone,  rising  in  the  east,  returned  after 
passing  by  the  north,  west  and  south,  in  the  inverse  course  pur¬ 
sued  by  the  circular  storms  of  the  southern  hemisphere.  At, 
that  Gulf  Stream  !  It  deserves  its  name  of  the  King  of  Tem^ 
pests.  It  is  that  which  causes  those  formidable  cyclones,  by  the 
difference  of  temperature  between  its  air  and  its  currents.  A 
shower  of  fire  had  succeeded  the  rain.  The  drops  of  water 


TWExN’TY  thousand  leagues  under  the  seas. 
/ 


3ia 


were  changed  to  sharp  spikes.  One  would  have  thought  that 
:  Captain  Nemo  was  courting  a  death  worthy  of  himself,  a  death 
by  hghtning.  As  the  Nautilus,  pitching  dreadfully,  raised  its 
steel  spur  in  the  air,  it  seemed  to  act  as  a  conductor,  and  I  saw 
long  sparks  burst  from  it.  Crushed  and  without  strength,  I 
crawled  to  the  panel,  opened  it,  and  descended  to  the  saloon. 
The  storm  was  then  at  its  height.  It  was  impossible  to  stand 
upright  in  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus.  Captain  Nemo  came 
down  about  twelve.  I  heard  the  reservohs  filluig  by  degrees, 
and  the  Nautilus  sank  slowly  beneath  the  waves.  Through  the 
open  windows  of  the  saloon  I  saw  large  fish,  terrified,  passing 
hke  phantoms  in  the  water.  Some  were  struck  before  my  eyes. 
The  Nautilus  was  still  descending.  I  thought  that  at  about 
eight  fathoms  deep  we  should  find  a  calm.  But  no  !  the  upper 
beds  were  too  violently  agitated  for  that.  We  had  to  seek  repose 
at  more  than  twenty-five  fathoms  in  the  bowels  of  the  deep.  But 
there,  what  quiet,  what  silence,  what  peace  I  Who  could  have 
told  that  such  a  hurricane  had  been  let  loose  on  the  surface  of 
U;mU  ocean? 


CHAPTER  XX 


FROM  LATITUDE  47“  24'  TO  LONGITUDE  17“  28  . 

In  consequence  of  the  storm,  we  had  been  thrown  eastward 
once  more.  All  hope  of  escape  on  the  shores  of  New  York  or  St. 
Lawrence  had  faded  away;  and  poor  Ned,  in  despair,  had  iso¬ 
lated  himself  like  Captain  Nemo.  Conscil  and  I,  however,  never 
left  each  other.  I  said  that  the  Nautilus  had  gone  aside  to  the 
east.  I  should  have  said  (to  be  more  exact),  the  northeast.  For 
some  days  it  wandered,  first  on  the  surface,  and  then  beneath 
it,  amid  those  fogs  so  dreaded  by  sailors.  What  accidents  are 
due  to  these  thick  fogs  !  What  shocks  upon  these  reefs  when 
the  wind  di’owns  the  breaking  of  the  waves  !  Ydiat  collisions 
between  vessels,  in  spite  of  their  warning  lights,  whistles,  and 
alarm-bells  !  And  the  bottoms  of  these  seas  look  like  a  held  of 
battle,  where  still  lie  ail  the  conquered  of  the  ocean ;  some  old 
and  already  incrusted,  others  fresh  and  reflecting  from  their 
iron  bands  and  copper  plates  the  brilliancy  of  our  lantern. 

On  the  15th  of  May  we  were  at  the  extreme  south  of  the  Bank 
of  Newfoundland.  This  bank  consists  of  alluvia,  or  large  heaps 
of  organic  matter,  brought  either  from  the  Equator  by  the  Gulf 
Stream,  or  from  the  North  Pole  by  the  counter-current  of  cold 
water  which  skirts  the  American  coast.  There  also  are  heaped 
up  those  erratic  blocks  which  are  carried  along  by  the  broken 
ice ;  and  close  by  a  vast  charnel-house  of  molluscs  or  zoophytes, 
which  perish  here  by  millions.  The  depth  of  the  sea  is  not 
great  at  Newfoundland, —  not  more  than  some  hundreds  of 
fathoms;  but  towards  the  south  is  a  depression  of  1,500  fathoms. 
There  the  Gulf  Stream  widens.  It  loses  some  of  its  speed  ana 
some  of  its  temperature,  but  it  becomes  a  sea. 

It  was  on  the  17th  of  May,  about  500  miles  from  Heart’s  Coiv 


Twenty  thousand  leagues  under  the  seas.  316 


tent,  at  a  depth  of  more  than  1,400  fathoms,  that  I  saw  the 
electric  cable  lying  on  the  bottom.  Conseil,  to  whom  I  had  not 
mentioned  it,  thought  at  first  that  it  was  a  gigantic  sea-serpent. 
But  I  undeceived  the  worthy  fellow,  and  by  way  of  consolation 
related  several  particulars  in  the  laying  of  this  cable.  The  first 
one  was  laid  in  the  years  1857  and  1858;  but,  after  transmitting 
about  400  telegrams,  would  not  act  any  longer.  In  1863,  the 
engineers  constructed  another  one,  measuring  2,000  miles  in 
length,  and  weighing  4,500  tons,  which  was  embarked  on  the 
Great  Eastern.  This  attempt  also  failed. 

On  the  25th  of  May  the  Nautilus,  being  at  a  depth  of  more 
than  1,918  fathoms,  was  on  the  precise  spot  where  the  rupture 
occurred  which  ruined  the  enterprise.  It  was  within  638  miles 
of  the  coast  of  Ireland;  and  at  half  past  two  in  the  afternoon 
they  discovered  that  communication  with  Europe  had  ceased. 
The  electricians  on  board  resolved  to  cut  the  cable  before  fish¬ 
ing  it  up,  and  at  eleven  o’clock  at  night  they  had  recovered  the 
damaged  part.  They  made  another  point  and  spliced  it,  and  it 
was  once  more  submerged.  But  some  days  after  it  broke  again, 
and  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean  could  not  be  recaptured.  The 
Americans,  however,  were  not  discouraged.  Cyrus  Field,  the 
bold  promotor  of  the  enterprise,  as  he  had  sunk  all  his  own 
fortune,  set  a  new  subscription  on  foot,  which  was  at  once 
answered,  and  another  cable  was  constructed  on  better  princi¬ 
ples.  The  bundles  of  conducting  wires  were  each  enveloped 
in  gutta-percha,  and  protected  by  a  wadding  of  hemp,  contained 
in  a  metallic  covering.  The  Great  Eastern  sailed  on  the  18th  of 
July,  1866.  The  operation  worked  well.  But  one  incident 
occurred.  Several  times  in  unrolling  the  cable  they  observed 
that  nails  had  been  recently  forced  into  it,  evidently  with  the 
motive  of  destroying  it.  Captain  Anderson,  the  officers  and 
engineers,  consulted  together,  and  had  it  posted  up  that  if  the 
offender  was  surprised  on  board,  he  would  be  thrown  without 
further  trial  into  the  sea.  From  that  time  the  criniinal  attempt 
was  never  repeated. 

On  the  23d  of  July  the  Great  Eastern  was  not  more  than  500 
miles  from  Newfoundland,  when  they  telegraphed  from  Ireland 
news  of  the  armistice  concluded  between  Prussia  and  Austria 


816  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SfiAS. 

after  Sadowa.  On  the  27th,  in  the  midst  of  heavy  fogs,  they 
reached  the  port  of  Heart’s  Content.  The  enterprise  was  suc- 
cessfuly  terminated  ;  and  for  its  first  dispatch  young  America 
addressed  old  Europe  in  these  words  of  wisdom  so  rarely  under¬ 
stood, — “  Glory  to  God  in  the  liighest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good¬ 
will  towards  men.” 

I  did  not  expect  to  find  the  electric  cable  in  its  primitive  state, 
such  as  it  was  on  leaving  the  manufactory.  The  long  serpent, 
covered  with  the  remains  of  shells,  bristling  with  foraminiferae, 
was  incrusted  with  a  strong  coating  which  served  as  a  proteo 
tion  against  all  boring  molluscs.  It  lay  quietly  sheltered  from 
the  motions  of  the  sea,  and  under  a  favorable  pressure  for  the 
transmission  of  the  electric  spark  which  passes  from  Europe  to 
America  in  .32  of  a  second.  Doubtless  this  cable  will  last  for  a 
great  length  of  time,  for  they  find  that  the  gutta-percha  cover¬ 
ing  is  improved  by  the  sea-water.  Besides,  on  this  level,  so  well 
chosen,  the  cable  is  never  so  deeply  submerged  as  to  cause  it  to 
Oreak.  The  Nautilus  followed  it  to  the  lowest  depth,  which  was 
more  than  2,212  fathoms,  and  there  it  lay  without  any  anchorage; 
and  then  we  reached  the  spot  where  the  accident  had  taken 
place  in  18G3.  The  bottom  of  the  ocean  then  formed  a  valley 
about  100  miles  broad,  in  which  Mont-Blanc  might  have  been 
placed  without  its  summit  appearing  above  the  waves.  This 
valley  is  closed  at  the  east  by  a  perpendicular  wall  more  than 
2,000  yards  high.  We  arrived  there  on  the  28th  of  May, 
and  the  Nautilus  was  then  not  more  than  120  miles  from  Ire¬ 
land. 

■Was  Captain  Nemo  going  to  land  on  the  British  Isles  ?  No. 
To  my  great  surprise  he  made  for  the  south,  once  more  coming 
back  toward  European  seas.  In  rounding  the  Emerald  Isle,  for 
one  instant  I  caught  sight  of  Cape  Clear,  and  the  light  which 
guides  the  thousands  of  vessels  leaving  Glasgow  or  Liverpool. 
An  important  question  then  arose  in  my  mind.  Did  the  Nautilus 
dare  entangle  itself  in  the  Mauch?  Ned  Land,  who  had  reap^ 
peared  since  we  had  been  nearing  land,  did  not  cease  to  question 
me.  How  could  I  answer?  Captain  Nemo  remained  invisible. 
ftLfter  having  shown  the  Canadian  a  glimpse  of  American  shores, 
Was  he  going  to  show  me  the  coast  of  France? 


Twenty  thousand  leagues  IindIer  the  seas. 


But  the  Nautilus  was  still  going  southward.  On  the  30th  of 
May,  it  passed  in  sight  of  the  Land’s  End,  between  the  extreme 
point  of  England  and  the  Scilly  Isles,  which  were  left  to  star¬ 
board.  If  he  wished  to  enter  the  Mauch  he  must  go  straight  to 
the  east.  He  did  not  do  so. 

During  the  whole  of  the  31st  of  May,  the  Nautilus  describf  r]  a 
series  of  circles  on  the  water,  which  greatly  interested  me.  It 
seemed  to  be  seeking  a  spot  it  had  some  trouble  in  finding.  At 
noon,  Captam  Nemo  himself  came  to  work  the  ship’s  log.  He 
spoke  no  word  to  me,  but  seemed  gloomier  than  ever.  ^Vhat 
could  sadden  him  thus?  Was  it  his  proximity  to  European 
shores?  Had  he  some  recollections  of  his  abandoned  country? 
If  not,  what  did  he  feel?  Remorse  or  regret?  For  a  long  while 
this  thought  haunted  my  mind,  and  I  had  a  kind  of  presentiment 
that  before  long  chance  would  betray  the  captain’s  secrets. 

^he  next  day,  the  1st  of  June,  the  Nautilus  continued  the  same 
process.  It  was  evidently  seeking  some  particular  sj>ot  in  the 
oceaiL  Captain  Nemo  took  the  sun’s  altitude  as  he  had  done 
the  day  before.  The  sea  was  beautiful,  the  sky  clear.  About 
eight  miles  to  the  east,  a  large  steam-vessel  could  be  discerned 
on  the  horizon.  No  flag  fluttered  from  its  mast,  and  I  could  not 
discover  its  nationality.  Some  minutes  before  the  sun  passed 
the  meridian.  Captain  Nemo  took  his  sextant,  and  watclied  with 
great  attention.  The  perfect  rest  of  the  water  greatly  helped 
the  operation.  The  Nautilus  was  motionless;  it  neither  rolled 
nor  pitched. 

I  was  on  the  platform  when  the  altitude  was  taken,  and  the 
captain  pronounced  these  words, — “  It  is  here.” 

He  turned  and  went  below.  Had  he  seen  the  vessel  which 
was  changing  its  course  and  seemed  to  be  nearing  us  ?  I  could 
not  teU.  I  returned  to  the  saloon.  The  panels  closed,  I  heard 
the  hissing  of  the  water  in  the  reservoirs.  The  Nautilus  began 
to  sink,  following  a  vertical  line,  for  its  screw  communicated  no 
motion  to  it.  Some  minutes  later  it  stopped  at  a  depth  of  more 
than  420  fathoms,  resting  on  the  ground.  The  luminous  ceiling 
was  darkened,  then  the  panels  were  opened,  and  through  the 
glass  I  saw  the  sea  brilliantly  illuminated  by  the  rays  of  our 
lantern  for  at  least  half  a  mile  romid  us. 


TWENTY  THOtJSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


I  looked  to  the  port  side,  and  saw  nothing  but  an  immensity 
of  quiet  waters.  But  to  starboard,  on  the  bottom  appeared  a 
large  protuberance,  which  at  once  attracted  my  attention.  One 
w’ould  have  thought  it  a  ruin  buried  under  a  coating  of  white 
shells,  much  resembling  a  covering  of  snow.  Upon  examining 
the  mass  attentively,  I  could  recognize  the  ever-thickening  form 
of  a  vessel  bare  of  its  masts,  which  must  have  sunk.  It 
certainly  belonged  to  past  times.  This  wreck,  to  be  thus  in- 
crusted  with  the  lime  of  the  water,  must  already  be  able  to 
count  many  years  passed  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean. 

What  was  this  vessel  ?  Why  did  the  Nautilus  visit  its  tomb? 
Could  it  have  been  aught  but  a  shipwreck  which  had  drawn  it 
under  the  water?  I  knew  not  what  to  think,  when  near  me  in 
a  slow  voice  I  heard  Captain  Nemo  say, — 

“  At  one  time  this  ship  was  called  the  Marseillais.  It  carried 
seventy-four  guns,  and  was  launched  in  1752.  In  1778,  the  13th 
of  August,  commanded  by  La  Poype-Vertrieux,  it  fought  boldly 
against  the  Preston.  In  1779,  on  the  4th  of  July,  it  was  at  the 
talcing  of  Urenada,  with  the  squadron  of  Admiral  Estaing.  In 
1781,  on  the  5th  of  September,  it  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Comte 
de  Grasse,  in  Chesapeake  Bay.  In  1794,  the  French  Republic 
changed  its  name.  On  the  16th  of  April,  in  the  same  year,  it 
joined  the  squadron  of  Villaret  Joyeuse,  at  Brest,  being  intrusted 
with  the  escort  of  a  cargo  of  corn  coming  from  America,  under 
the  command  of  Admiral  Van  Stabel.  On  the  11th  and  12th 
Prairal  of  the  second  year,  this  squadron  fell  in  with  an  English 
vessel.  Sir,  to-day  is  the  13th  Prairal,  the  1st  of  June,  1868.  It 
is  now  seventy-four  years  ago,  day  for  day  on  this  very  spot,  in 
latitude  47°  24  ',  longitude  17°  28  ',  that  this  vessel,  after  fighting 
heroically,  losing  its  three  masts,  with  the  water  in  its  hold,  and 
the  third  of  its  crew  disabled,  preferring  sinking  with  its  856 
sailors  to  surrendering;  and  nailing  its  colors  to  the  poop,  dis¬ 
appeared  under  the  waves  to  the  cry  of  ‘  Long  five  the  Repub¬ 
lic!”’ 

“  The  Avenger !  ”  I  exclaimed. 

“  Yes,  sir,  the  Avenger  I  A  good  name  I  ”  muttered  Captaha 
Nemo,  crossing  his  arms. 


CHAPTER  XXL 


A  HECATOMB. 

The  way  of  describing  this  unlooked-for  scene,  the  history  of 
the  patriot  ship,  told  at  first  so  coldly,  and  the  emotion  with 
'which  this  strange  man  pronounced  the  last  words,  the  name  of 
the  Avenger,  the  significance  of  which  could  not  escape  me,  all 
impressed  itself  deeply  on  my  mind.  My  eyes  did  not  leave  the 
captain;  who,  with  his  hand  stretched  out  to  sea,  was  'vt’^atching 
with  a  glowing  eye  the  glorious  wreck.  Perhaps  I  was  never  to 
know  who  he  was,  from  whence  he  came,  or  where  we  was 
going  to,  but  I  saw  the  man  move,  and  apart  from  the  savant. 
It  was  no  common  misanthropy  which  had  shut  Captain  Nemo 
and  his  companions  within  the  Nautilus,  but  a  hatred,  either 
monstrous  or  sublime,  which  time  could  never  weaken.  Did 
this  hatred  still  seek  for  vengeance?  The  future  would  soon 
teach  me  that.  But  the  Nautilus  was  rising  slowly  to  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  sea,  and  the  form  of  the  Avenger  disappeared  by 
degrees  from  my  sight.  Soon  a  slight  rolling  told  me  we  were 
in  the  open  air.  At  that  moment  a  dull  boom  was  heard.  I 
looked  at  the  captain.  He  did  not  move. 

“  Captain?’*  said  I. 

He  did  not  answer.  I  left  him  and  mounted  the  platform, 
Conseil  and  the  Canadian  were  already  there. 

“’Where  did  that  sound  come  from?”  I  asked. 

“  It  was  a  gunshot,”  replied  Ned  Land. 

I  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  vessel  I  had  already  seen.  It 
was  nearing  the  Nautilus,  and  we  could  see  that  it  was  putting 
on  steam.  It  was  within  six  miles  of  us. 

“  What  is  that  ship,  Ned?  ” 

22 


S20  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEU  THE  SEAS. 

“  By  its  rigging,  and  the  height  of  its  lower  masts,”  said  the 
Canadian,  “  I  bet  she  is  a  sliip  of  war.  May  it  reach  us;  and,  if 
necessary,  sink  tliis  cursed  Nautilus.” 

“  Friend  Ned,”  replied  Conseil,  “  what  harm  can  it  do  to  the 
Nautilus?  Can  it  attack  it  beneath  the  waves?  Can  it  cannon¬ 
ade  us  at  the  tottom  of  the  sea?” 

“  Tell  me,  Ned,”  said  I,  “  can  you  recognize  what  country  she 
belongs  to  ?  ” 

The  Canadian  knitted  his  eyebrows,  dropped  his  eyelids,  and 
screwed  up  the  corners  of  Ms  eyes,  and  for  a  few  moments  fixed 
a  piercing  look  upon  the  vessel. 

“  No,  sir,”  he  replied;  “I  can  not  tell  what  nation  she  belongs 
to,  for  she  shows  no  colors.  But  I  can  declare  she  is  a  man-of- 
war,  for  a  long  pennant  flutters  from  her  main-mast.” 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  we  watched  the  ship  which  was 

steaming  towards  us.  I  could,  not,  however,  believe  that  she 

¥ 

could  see  the  Nautilus  from  that  distance,  and  still  less  that  she 
oould  know  what  this  submarine  engine  was.  Soon  the  Cana¬ 
dian  informed  me  that  she  was  a  large  armored  two-decker 
ram.  A  tMck  black  smoke  was  pouring  from  her  two  funnels. 
Her  closely  furled  sails  were  stopped  to  her  yards.  She  hoisted 
no  flag  at  her  mizzen-peak.  The  distance  prevented  us  from 
distinguisMng  the  colors  of  her  pennant,  which  floated  like  a 
thin  ribbon.  She  advanced  rapidly.  If  Captain  Nemo  allowed 
her  to  approach,  there  was  a  chance  of  salvation  for  us. 

“  Sir,”  said  Ned  Land,  “  if  that  vessel  passes  within  a  mile  of 
us,  I  shall  throw  myself  into  the  sea,  and  I  should  advise  you  to 
do  the  same.” 

I  did  not  reply  to  the  Canadian’s  suggestion,  but  continued 
watching  the  ship.  Whether  English,  French,  American,  or 
Russian,  she  would  be  sure  to  take  us  in  if  we  could  only  reach 
her.  Presently  a  white  smoke  burst  from  the  forepart  of  the 
Vessel ;  some  seconds  after  the  water,  agitated  by  the  fall  of  a 
heavy  body,  splashed  the  stern  of  the  Nautilus,  and  shortly  after¬ 
wards  a  loud  explosion  struck  my  ear. 

“  Wliat !  they  are  firing  at  us  !”  I  exclaimed. 

“  So  please  you,  sir,”  said  Ned,  “  they  havs  recognized  the 
unicorn,  and  they  are  firing  at  us,” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  821 

“  But,”  I  exclaimed,  “  sureiy  they  can  see  that  there  are  men 
ui  the  case?” 

“  It  is,  perhaps,  Ijecause  of  that,”  replied  Ned  Land,  looking 

ftt  me. 

A  whole  flood  of  light  burst  upon  my  mind.  Doubtless  they 
knew  now  how  to  believe  the  stories  of  the  pretended  monster. 
No  doubt,  on  board  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  when  the  Canadiar 
struck  it  with  the  harpoon,  Commander  Farragut  had  recog 
nized  in  the  supposed  narwhal  a  submarine  vessel,  more  danger¬ 
ous  tlian  a  supernatural  cetacean.  Yes,  it  must  have  been  so; 
and  on  every  sea  they  were  now  seeldng  this  engine  ot  destruc¬ 
tion.  Terrible  indeed  !  if,  as  we  supposed,  Captain  Nemo  em¬ 
ployed  the  Nautilus  in  works  of  vengeance.  On  the  night 
when  we  were  imprisoned  in  that  cell,  in  the  midst  of  the 
Indian  Ocean,  had  he  not  attacked  some  vessel  ?  The  man 
buried  -in  the  coral  cemetery,  had  he  not  been  a  victim  to  the 
shock  caused  by  the  Nautilus?  Yes,  I  repeat  it,  it  must  be  so. 
One  part  of  the  mysterious  existence  of  Captain  Nemo  had  been 
unveiled;  and,  if  his  identity  had  not  been  recognized,  at  least, 
the  nations  united  against  him  were  no  longer  hunting  a 
chimercial  creature,  but  a  man  who  had  vowed  a  deadly  hatred 
against  them.  All  the  fomiidable  past  rose  before  me.  Instead 
of  meeting  friends  on  board  the  approaching  ship,  we  could 
only  expect  pitiless  enemies.  But  the  shot  rattled  about  us. 
Some  of  them  struck  the  sea  and  ricochetted,  losing  themselves 
in  the  distance.  But  none  touched  the  Nautilus.  The  vessel  was 
not  more  than  three  miles  from  us.  In  spite  of  the  serious 
cannonade.  Captain  Nemo  did  not  appear  on  the  platform;  but, 
if  one  of  the  conical  projectiles  had  struck  the  shell  of  the 
Nautilus,  it  would  have  fatal.  The  Canadian  then  said,  “  Sir,  we 
must  do  all  we  can  to  get  out  of  this  dilemma.  Let  us  signal 
them.  They  will  then,  perhaps,  understand  that  we  are  honest 
folks.” 

Ned  Land  took  his  handkerchief  to  wave  in  the  air,  but  ho 
tiad  scarcely  displayed  it,  when  he  was  struck  down  by  an  iron 
liand,  and  fell,  in  spite  of  his  great  strength,  upon  the  deck. 

“Fool!”  exclauned  the  captain,  “ do  you  wish  to  be  pierced 
by  the  spur  of  the  Nautilus  before  it  is  hurled  at  this  vessel  ?  ” 


22 


rfSS  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

Captain  Nemo  was  terrible  to  hear  ;  he  was  still  more  terrible 
to  see.  His  face  was  deadly  pale,  with  a  spasm  at  his  heart. 
For  an  instant  it  must  have  ceased  to  beat.  His  pupils  were 
fearfully  contracted.  He  did  not  s^teak^  he  roared^  as,  with  his 
body  thrown  forward,  he  wrung  the  Canadian’s  shoulders. 
Then,  leaving  him,  and  turning  to  the  ship  of  war,  whose  sliot 
was  still  raining  around  him,  he  exclaimed,  with  a  powerful 
voice,  “  Ah,  ship  of  an  accursed  nation,  you  know  who  I  am  !  I 
do  not  want  your  colors  to  know  you  by  !  Look  !  and  I  will  show 
you  mine !  ” 

And  on  the  forepart  of  the  platform  Captain  Nemo  unfurled 
a  black  flag,  similar  to  the  one  he  had  placed  at  the  South  Pole. 
At  that  moment  a  shot  struck  the  shell  of  the  Nautilus  obliquel}’^, 
without  piercing  it ;  and,  rebounding  near  the  captain,  was  lost 
in  the  sea.  He  shrugged  his  shoulders  ;  and  addressing  me, 
said  shortly,  “  Go  down,  you  and  your  companions,  go  down !  ” 

“  Sir,”  I  exclaimed,  are  you  going  to  attack  this  vessel  ?  ” 

“  Sir,  I  am  going  to  sink  it.” 

“  You  will  not  do  that  ?  ” 

“I  shall  do  it,”  he  replied,  coldly.  “And  I  advise  you  not  to 
judge  me,  sir.  Fate  has  shown  you  what  you  ought  not  to  have 
seen.  The  attack  has  begun  ;  go  down.” 

“What  is  this  vessel  ?” 

“You  do  not  know?  Very  well!  so  much  the  better!  its 
nationality  to  you.  at  least,  will  be  a  secret.  Go  down  !  ” 

We  could  but  obey.  About  flfteen  of  the  sailors  surrounded 
the  captain,  looking  with  implacable  hatred  at  tlie  vessel  near¬ 
ing  them.  One  could  feel  that  the  same  desire  of  vengeance 
animated  every  soul.  I  went  down  at  the  moment  another 
projectile  struck  the  Nautilus,  and  I  heard  the  captain  ex¬ 
claim,  — 

“Strike,  mad  vessel!  Shower  your  useless  shot!  And  ther^. 
you  will  not  escape  the  spur  of  the  Nautilus.  But  it  is  not  here 
that  you  shall  perish  !  I  would  not  have  your  ruins  mingle  with 
those  of  the  Avenger  !  ” 

I  reached  my  room.  The  captain  and  his  second  had  remained 
on  the  platform.  The  screw  was  set  in  motion,  and  the  Nauti¬ 
lus,  moving  with  speed,  was  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  the  ship’s 


TWENTY  thousand  leagues  under  the  seas. 


guns.  But  the  pursuit  continued,  and  Captain  Nemo  contented 
himself  with  keeping  his  distance. 

About  four  in  the  afternoon,  being  no  longer  able  to  contain 
my  impatience,  I  went  to  the  central  staircase.  The  panel  was 
open,  and  I  ventured  on  to  the  platform.  The  captain  was  stiil 
walking  up  and  down  with  an  agitated  step.  He  was  looking; 
at  the  ship,  which  was  live  or  six  miles  to  leeward. 

He  was  going  round  it  like  a  wild  beast,  and  drawing  it  east¬ 
ward,  he  allowed  them  to  pursue.  But  he  did  not  attack.  Ptr- 
haps  he  still  hesitated  ?  I  wished  to  mediate  once  more.  But  i 
had  scarcely  spoken,  when  Captain  Nemo  imposed  silence,  say- 
hig,— 

“  I  am  the  law,  and  I  am  the  judge  f  I  am  the  oppressed,  and 
there  is  the  oppressor  !  Through  him  I  have  lost,  all  that  I  loveo, 
cherished,  and  venerated,  —  country,  wife,  children,  father,  ana 
mother.  I  saw  all  perish !  All  that  I  hate  is  there !  Say  no 
more !  ” 

I  cast  a  last  look  at  the  man-of-war,  which  was  putting  oi 
steam,  and  rejoined  Ned  and  Conseih 

“We  will  fly  I”  I  exclaimed. 

“  Good  !  ”  said  Ned.  “  What  is  this  vessel  ?  ” 

“I  do  not  know  ;  but  whatever  it  is,  it  will  be  sunk  befoie 
night.  In  any  case,  it  is  better  to  perish  with  it,  than  be  made 
accomplices  in  a  retaliation,  the  justice  of  which  we  can  not 
judge.” 

“  That  is  my  opinion  too,”  said  Ned  Land,  cooUy.  “Let  us 
wait  for  night.” 

Night  arrived.  Beep  silence  reigned  on  board.  The  compass 
showed  that  the  Nautilus  had  not  altered  its  course.  It  was  on 
tlie  sm-face,  rolling  slightly.  My  companions  and  I  reselved  to 
lly  when  the  vessel  should  be  near  enough  eithei  to  hear  us  or 
to  see  us;  for  the  moon,  which  would  be  full  in  two  or  three 
days,  shone  brightly.  Once  on  board  the  ship,  if  we  could  not 
prevent  the  blow  which  threatened  it,  we  could,  at  least  we 
would,  do  all  that  circumstances  would  allow.  Several  times  I 
thou, "^ht  the  Nautilus  was  preparing  for  attack;  but  Captain 
Nemo  contented  himself  with  allowing  his  adversary  to  approach 
and  then  fled  once  more  before  it. 


ol  'l  TWENTY  THOUSAND  1.EAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS 

Part  of  the  night  passed  without  any  incident.  We  watched 
the  opportunity  for  action.  We  spoke  little,  for  we  were  too 
lauch  moved.  Ned  Land  would  have  thrown  himself  into  the 
sea,  but  I  forced  him  to  wait.  According  to  my  idea,  the  Nau¬ 
tilus  would  attack  the  ship  at  her  water-line,  and  then  it  would 
not  only  be  possible,  but  easy  to  fly. 

At  three  in  the  morning,  full  of  uneasiness,  I  mounted  the 
platform.  Captain  Nemo  had  not  left  it.  He  was  standing  at 
the  forepart  near  his  flag,  which  a  slight  breeze  displayed 
above  his  head.  He  did  not  take  his  eyes  from  the  vessel.  The 
intensity  of  his  look  seemed  to  attract,  and  fascinate,  and  draw 
it  onward  more  purely  than  if  he  had  been  towing  it.  The  moon 
was  then  passing  the  meridian.  Jupiter  was  rising  in  the  east. 
Amid  this  peaceful  scene  of  nature,  sky  and  ocean  rivalled  each 
other  in  tranquillity,  the  sea  offering  to  the  orbs  of  night  the 
flnest  mirror  they  could  ever  have  in  which  to  reflect  their 
image.  As  I  thought  of  the  deep  calm  of  these  elements, 
compared  with  all  those  passions  brooding  imperceptibly  within 
the  Nautilus,  I  shuddered. 

The  vessel  was  within  two  miles  of  us.  It  was  ever  nearing 
that  phosphorescent  light  which  showed  the  pres(>nce  of  the 
Nautilus.  I  could  L- jits  green  and  red  lights,  and  its  white 
/anteni  hanging  from  the  large  mizzen-mast.  An  indistinct  vibra¬ 
tion  quivered  through  its  rigging,  showing  that  the  furnaces  were 
heated  to  tlie  uttennost.  Sheaves  of  sparks  and  red  ashes  ilew 
from  the  funnels,  shining  in  the  atmosphere  like  stars. 

I  remained  thus  until  six  in  the  morning,  without  Captain 
Nemo  noticing  me.  The  ship  stood  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
us,  and  with  the  first  dawn  of  day  the  firing  began  afresh. 
The  moment  could  not  be  far  off  when,  the  Nautilus  attacking 
its  adversary,  my  companions  and  myself  should  forever  leave 
this  man.  I  was  preparing  to  go  down  to  remind  tliem,  when 
the  second  mounted  the  platform,  accompanied  by  scweral 
sailors.  Captain  Nemo  either  did  not  or  would  not  see  them. 
Some  steps  were  taken  which  might  be  called  the  signal  for 
action.  They  were  very  simple.  The  iron  balustrade  around 
the  platform  was  lowered,  and  the  lantern  and  pilot-cages  were 
pushed  within  the  shell  until  they  were  flush  with  the  deck. 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS..  i>25 


The  ioiig  surface  of  the  steel  cigar  no  longer  offered  a  single 
point  to  check  its  manoeuvres.  I  returned  to  the  saloon.  The 
Nautilus  still  floated  ;  some  streaks  of  light  were  Altering 
tiii'ough  the  liquid  beds.  With  the  undulations  of  the  waves 
the  windows  were  brightened  by  the  red  streaks  of  the  rising 
sun,  and  this  dreadful  day  of  the  2d  of  June  had  dawned. 

At  five  o’clock,  the  log  showed  that  the  speed  of  the  Nautilus 
was  slackening,  and  I  knew  that  it  was  allowing  them  to  draw 
nearer.  Besides,  the  reports  were  heard  moie  distinctly,  and 
the  projectiles,  laboring  through  the  ambient  water,  were 
extinguished  with  a  strange  hissing  noise. 

“  My  friends,’’  said  I,  “  the  moment  is  come.  One  grasp  of 
the  hand,  and  may  God  protect  us  I  ” 

Ned  Land  was  resolute,  Conseil  calm,  myself  so  nervous  that 
I  knew  not  how  to  contain  myself.  V/e  all  passed  into  the 
library;  but  the  moment  I  pushed  the  door  opening  on  to  the 
*«ntral  staircase,  I  heard  the  upper  panel  close  sharply.  Tb.e 
Canadian  rushed  on  to  the  stairs,  but  I  stopped  him.  A  well- 
known  hissing  noise  told  me  that  the  water  was  running  into 
the  reservoirs,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  Nautilus  was  some 
yards  beneath  the  surface  of  the  waves.  I  understood  tlie 
manoeuvre.  It  was  too  late  to  act.  The  Nautilus  did  not  wish 
strilte  at  the  impenetrable  cuirass,  but  below  the  water-line, 
,/here  the  metallic  covering  no  longer  protecltid  it. 

We  were  again  imprisoned,  unwilling  witnesses  of  t!ie  dread- 
Cull  drama  that  w’^as  preparing.  We  had  scarcely  time  to  relh^ct; 
taking  refuge  in  my  room,  we  looked  as  each  otlier  will lo at 
speaking.  A  deep  stupor  had  taken  hold  of  my  mind;  thouglfl 
ooemed  to  stand  still.  I  was  in  that  painful  state  of  expectation 
preceding  a  dreadful  report.  I  waited,  I  listened,  every  sense 
was  merged  in  that  of  hearing !  The  speed  of  the  Nautilus 
was  accelerated.  It  was  preparing  to  rush.  The  whole  ship 
trembled.  Suddenly  I  screamed.  I  felt  the  shock,  but  coiii- 
paratively  light.  I  felt  the  penetrating  power  of  the  steel  spur. 
I  heard  rattlings  and  scrapings.  But  the  Nautilus,  carrie  .1 
along  by  its  propelling  power,  passed  through  the  mass  of  the 
vessel,  like  a  needle  through  sail-cloth  ! 

1  could  stand  it  no  longer.  Mad,  out  of  my  mind,  i  luslmd 


826  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 

from  my  room  into  the  saloon.  Captain  Nemo  was  there,  mute, 
gloomy,  implacable;  he  was  looking  through  the  port  panel  A 
large  mass  cast  a  shadow  on  the  water;  and  that  it  might  lo&o 
nothing  of  her  agony,  the  Nautilus  was  going  down  into  the 
abyss  witn  her.  Ten  yards  from  me  I  saw  the  open  shell  through 
wliich  the  water  was  rushing  with  the  noise  of  thunuoi,  men 
the  double  line  of  guns  and  the  netting.  The  bridge  was 
covered  with  black  agitated  shadows. 

The  water  was  rising.  The  poor  creatures  were  crowding  the 
ratlings,  clinging  to  the  masts,  struggling  under  the  water.  It 
was  a  human  ant-heap  overtaken  by  the  sea.  Paralyzed,  stiffened 
with  anguish,  my  hair  standing  on  end,  with  eyes  wide  open, 
panting,  without  breath  and  without  voice,  I  too  was  watching ! 
Ail  irresLtibie  attraction  glued  me  to  the  glass  !  Suddenly  an 
explosion  took  place.  The  compressed  air  blew  up  her  decks, 
as  if  the  magazine  had  caught  fire.  Then  the  unfortunate  vessel 
sunk  more  rapidly.  Her  topmast,  laden  with  victims,  now  ap¬ 
peared;  then  her  spars,  bending  under  the  weight  of  men;  and 
last  of  all,  the  top  of  her  mainmast.  Then  the  dark  mass  dis¬ 
appeared,  and  with  it  the  dead  crew,  drawn  down  by  the  strong 
eddj-. 

I  turned  to  Captain  Nemo.  That  terrible  avenger,  a  perfect 
archangel  of  hatred,  w^as  still  looking.  When  all  was  over,  he 
turned  to  Ids  room,  opened  tiie  door,  and  entered.  I  followed 
him  with  my  eyes.  On  tiie  end  wall  beneath  his  heroes,  I  saw 
the  portrait  of  a  w’oman  still  yoiiiig,  and  two  little  children 
Captain  Nemo  looked  at  them  for  some  moments,  stretched  his 
aims  towards  them,  and  kneeling  down  burst  into  deop  sobs. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


THE  LAST  WORDS  OF  CAPTAIN  NEMO. 

The  panels  had  closed  on  this  dreadful  vision,  hut  light  had 
not  returned  to  the  saloon :  all  was  silence  and  darkness  within 
the  Nautilus.  At  wonderful  speed,  a  hundred  feet  beneath  the 
water,  it  was  leaving  this  desolate  spot.  Whither  was  it  going? 
To  the  north  or  south?  Wiiere  was  the  man  ilying  to  after  such 
dieadful  retaliation?  I  had  returned  to  my  room,  where  Ned 
and  Conseil  had  remained  silent  enough.  I  felt  an  insurmount¬ 
able  horror  for  Captain  Nemo.  Whatever  he  had  suffered  at  tlie 
hands  of  these  men,  he  had  no  right  to  punish  thus.  lie  had 
made  me,  if  not  an  accomplice,  at  least  a  witness  of  his  venge¬ 
ance.  At  eleven  the  electric  light  reappeared.  I  passed  into 
the  sdloon.  It  was  deserted.  I  consulted  the  different  instru¬ 
ments.  The  Nautilus  was  flying  northward  at  the  rate  of  twentj’- 
five  iniies  an  hour,  now  on  the  surface,  and  now  thirty  feet 
below  it.  On  taking  the  bearings  by  the  chart,  I  saw  that  we 
were  passing  the  mouth  of  the  Manche,  and  that  our  com’se  was 
hurrying  us  towards  the  northern  seas  at  a  frightful  speed.  That 
night  we  had  crossed  two  hundred  leagues  of  the  Atlantic.  The 
Biiadows  fell,  and  the  sea  was  covered  with  darkness  until  the 
rising  of  the  moon.  I  went  to  my  room,  but  could  not  sleep.  I 
was  troubled  with  dreadful  night-mare.  The  horrible  scene  of 
destruction  was  continually  before  my  eyes.  From  that  day,  who 
could  tell  into  what  part  of  the  North  Atlantic  basin  the  Nautilus 
would  take  us?  Still  with  unaccomitable  speed.  Still  in  the 
midst  of  these  northern  fogs.  Would  it  touch  at  Spitzbergen, 
or  on  the  shores  of  Nova  Zembla?  Should  we  explore  those 
unknown  seas,  the  White  Sea,  the  Sea  of  Kara,  the  Gulf  of 
Obi,  the  Archipelago  of  Liarrov,  and  the  unlincwii  coast  of  Asia? 


^8  TWEirrr  thousand  leagues  under  the  sea*. 

I  could  not  say.  I  could  no  longer  judge  of  the  time  that  was 
passing.  The  clocks  had  been  stopped  on  board.  It  seemed,  aa 
in  polar  countries,  that  night  and  day  no  longer  followed  their 
regular  eom'se.  I  felt  myself  being  drawn  into  that  strange  re¬ 
gion  where  the  foundered  imagination  of  Edgar  Poe  roamed  at 
will.  Like  the  fabulous  Gordon  Pym,  at  every  moment  I  ex¬ 
pected  to  see  “  that  veiled  human  figure,  of  larger  proportions 
than  those  of  any  mhabitant  of  the  earth,  thrown  across  the  cat¬ 
aract  which  defends  the  approach  to  the  pole.”  I  estimated 
(though,  perhaps,  I  may  be  mistaken) — I  estim^ed  this  adven¬ 
turous  course  of  the  Nautilus  to  have  lasted  fifteen  or  twenty 
days.  And  I  know  not  how  much  longer  it  might  have  lasted, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  catastrophe  which  ended  this  voyage.  Of 
Captain  Nemo  I  saw  nothing  whatever  now,  nor  of  his  second. 
Not  a  man  of  the  crew  was  visible  for  an  instant.  The  Nautilus 
was  almost  incessantly  under  water.  When  we  came  to  the  sur¬ 
face  to  renew  the  air,  the  panels  opened  and  shut  mechanically. 
There  were  no  more  marks  on  the  planisphere.  I  knew  not 
where  we  were.  And  the  Canadian,  too,  his  strength  and  pati¬ 
ence  at  an  end,  appeared  no  more.  Conseil  could  not  draw  a 
word  from  him,  and  fearing  that,  in  a  dreadful  fit  of  madness, 
he  might  kiU  himself,  watched  lum  with  constai.t  devotion.  On© 
morning  (what  date  it  was  I  could  not  say),  1  had  fallen  Into  a 
heavy  sleep  towards  the  early  hours,  a  sleep  both  necmful  aiux 
unhealthy,  when  I  suddenly  awoke.  Ned  Land  was  leaninjf 
over  me,  saying  in  a  low  voice,  “  We  are  goin^  to  hy.” 

I  sat  up. 

“  When  shall  we  go  ?”  I  asked. 

“To-morrow  night.  All  inspection  on  board  the  Nautilui* 
seems  to  have  ceased.  All  appear  xo  oe  stupefied.  You  will  bv 
ready,  sir?” 

“Yes;  where  are  we?” 

“  In  sight  of  land.  I  tooR  the  .‘eckoning  this  morning  in  th(^ 
fog,— twenty  miles  to  the  east.'’ 

“  What  country  is  it?” 

“I  do  not  know  ;  but  whatever  it  is,  we  will  take  refuge  there.” 

“  Yes,  Ned,  yes.  We  will  fly  to-night,  even  if  the  sea  should 
swallow  us  up.” 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS.  829 


“The  sea  is  bad,  the  wind  violent,  but  twenty  miles  in  that 
light  boat  of  the  Nautilus  does  not  frighten  me.  Unknown  to 
the  crew,  I  have  been  able  to  procure  foud  and  some  bottles  of 
water.” 

“  I  will  follow  you.” 

“  But,”  continued  the  Canadian,  “  if  I  am  surprised,  I  will  de 
fend  myself;  I  will  force  them  to  kill  me.” 

“  We  will  die  together,  friend  Ned.” 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  all.  The  Canadian  left  me.  ] 
reached  the  platform,  on  which  I  could  with  difficulty  support 
myself  against  the  shock  of  the  waves.  The  sky  was  threaten 
ing;  but  as  land  was  in  those  thick  brown  shadows,  we  musl 
fly.  I  returned  to  the  saloon,  fearing  and  yet  hoping  to  see  Cap 
tain  Nemo,  wishing  and  yet  not  wishing  to  see  him.  '.V'hat  could 
I  have  said  to  him?  Could  I  hide  the  involuntary  horror  witl 
which  he  inspired  me?  No.  It  was  better  that  I  should  nol 
meet  him  face  to  face;  better  to  forget  him.  And  yet —  How 
long  seemed  that  day,  the  last  that  I  should  pass  in  the  Nautilus. 
I  remained  alone.  Ned  Land  and  Conseil  avoided  speaking,  for 
fear  of  betraying  themselves.  At  six  I  dined,  but  I  was  no/^ 
hungry;  I  forced  myself  to  eat  in  spite  of  my  disgust,  that  1 
might  not  weaken  myself.  At  half  past  six  Ned  Land  came  to 
my  room  saying,  “  We  shall  not  see  each  other  again  before  our 
departure.  At  ten  the  moon  will  not  be  risen.  We  will  profit 
by  the  darkness.  Come  to  the  boat;  Conseil  and  I  will  wait  for 
you.” 

The  Canadian  went  out  without  giving  me  time  to  answer. 
Wishing  to  verify  the  course  of  the  Nautilus,  I  went  to  the  saloon. 
We  were  running  N.N.E.  at  frightful  speed,  and  more  than  fifty 
yards  deep.  I  cast  a  last  look  on  these  wonders  of  nature,  on 
the  riches  of  art  heaped  up  in  this  museum,  upon  the  unrivalled 
collection  destined  to  perish  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  with  him 
who  had  formed  it.  I  wished  to  fix  an  indelible  impression  of 
it  in  my  mind.  I  remained  an  hour  thus,  bathed  in  the  light  of 
that  luminous  ceiling,  and  passing  in  review  those  treasures 
shining  under  their  glasses.  Then  I  returned  to  my  room. 

I  dressed  myself  in  strong  sea  clothing.  I  collected  ray  notes, 
placing  them  carefully  about  me.  My  heart  beat  loudly.  I  coulc^ 


t.%  TWENT'i  TnOUSA:vD  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAi. 

not  check  its  pulsations.  Certainly  my  trouble  and  agitation 
would  have  betrayed  me  to  Captain  Nemo’s  eyes.  What  was  he 
floing  at  this  moment?  I  listened  at  the  door  of  his  room.  1 
heard  steps.  Captain  Nemo  was  there.  He  had  not  g;one  to 
rest.  At  every  moment  I  expected  to  see  him  appear,  and  ask 
:ne  why  I  wished  to  tly.  I  was  constantlv  cn  the  alert.  My  im¬ 
agination  magnilied  every  thing.  The  impression  became  at 
last  so  poignant,  that  1  asked  myself  if  it  would  not  be  better 
to  go  to  the  captain’s  room,  see  him  face  to  face,  and  brave  him 
with  look  and  gestm’e. 

It  was  the  inspiration  of  a  madman;  fortunately  I  resisted 
!h  3  desire,  and  stretched  myself  on  my  bed  to  quiet  my  bodily 
agitation.  My  nerves  were  somewhat  calmer,  but  in  my  excited 
brain  I  saw  over  again  all  my  existence  on  board  the  Nautilus; 
every  incident,  either  happy  or  unfortunate,  which  had  hap¬ 
pened  since  my  disappearance  from  the  Abraliam  Lincoln 
the  submarine  hunt,  the  Torres  Straits,  the  savages  of  Papua, 
the  running  ashore,  the  coral  cemetery,  the  passage  of  Suez,  the 
Island  of  Santorin,  the  Cretan  diver,  Yigo  Bay,  Atlanta,  the  ice¬ 
bergs,  the  South  Pole,  the  imprisonment  in  the  ice,  the  light 
auiong  the  poulps,  the  storm  in  the  Gulf  Stream,  the  Avenger, 
end  the  horrible  scene  of  the  vessel  sunk  with  all  her  crew. 
Ail  these  events  passiid  before  my  eyes  like  scenes  in  a  drama. 
I  heii  Captain  Nemo  seemed  to  grow  enormously,  his  features  to 
assume  superliuman  proportions.  He  was  no  longer  my  equal, 
but  a  man  of  the  waters,  tlie  genie  of  the  sea. 

It  was  then  half  past  nine.  I  held  my  head  between  my 
hands  to  keep  it  from  bursting.  I  closed  my  eyes,  I  would  not 
think  any  longer.  There  was  another  half-hour  to  wait,  another 
half-hour  of  a  nightmare,  which  might  drive  me  mad. 

At  that  moment  I  heard  the  distant  strains  of  the  organ,  a  sad 
harmony  to  an  undefinable  chant,  the  wail  of  a  soul  longing  u> 
bi’eak  these  earthly  bonds.  1  listened  witii  every  sense,  scarcei.y 
breathing  ;  plunged,  like  Captain  Nemo,  in  that  musical  ecstasy, 
which  was  drawing  him  in  spirit  to  the  end  of  life. 

Then  a  sudden  thought  terrified  me.  Captain  Nemo  had  left 
Ills  room.  He  was  in  the  saloon,  which  1  mu-'  cross  to  lly. 
Ihare  I  should  meet  him  for  the  last  time,  lie  w-uld  see  me, 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUSD  3fi/.S: 


Stii'haps  spuak  to  me.  A  gesture  of  iiis  migu  aestroj-  me,  a 
'niigiv)  word  chain  me  on  board. 

But  ten  was  about  to  strike.  The  moment  had  com©  for  me 
to  leave  my  room  and  join  my  companions. 

I  must  not  hesitate,  even  if  Captain  Nemo  himself  should 
rise  before  me.  I  opened  my  door  carefully;  and  even  then,  aj 
iL  milled  on  its  hinges,  it  seemed  to  me  to  make  a  dreadful 
noise.  Perhaps  it  only  existed  in  my  own  imagination. 

I  crept  along  the  dark  stairs  of  the  Nautilus,  stopping  at  each 
Gtep  to  check  the  beating  of  my  heart.  I  reached  the  door  of 
he  saloon,  diid  opened  it  gently.  It  \ra8  plunged  in  profound 
d.d'kness.  The  strains  of  the  organ  sounded  faintly.  Captain 
Noiiio  was  tliere.  He  did  not  see  me.  In  the  full  light  I  do  not 
diink  he  would  have  noticed  me,  so  entirely  was  he  absorbed  in 
tlie  ecstasy.  I  crept  along  the  carpet,  avoiding  the  slightest  sound 
which  might  Detray  my  presence.  I  was  at  least  fi.e  minutes 
reaching  the  door,  at  the  opposite  side,  opening  into  the  library. 

I  was  going  to  open  it,  when  a  sigh  from  Captain  Nemo  naiied 
me  to  the  spot.  I  knew  that  he  was  rising.  I  could  even  see 
him,  for  the  light  from  the  library  came  through  to  the  saloon. 
He  came  towards  me  silently,  with  hi  i  arms  crossed,  gliding 
like  a  spectre  rather  than  walking.  His  breast  was  swelling, 
with  sobs ;  and  I  heard  him  murmur  these  words  (the  last 
wiiich  ever  struck  my  ear), — 

Almighty  God  i  enough  !  enougli !  ” 

Was  it  a  confession  of  remorse  which  thus  escaped  from  this 
man’s  conscience 

In  desperation  I  rushed  through  the  library,  mounted  the 
5entnd  stair  case,  and  following  the  upper  flight  reached  the 
boat.  I  crept  througn  the  opening,  wliich  had  already  admitted 
my  two  companions. 

“  Let  us  go  !  let  us  go  !”  I  exclaimed. 

“Directly  I”  replied  the  Canadian. 

Tile  orifice  in  the  plates  of  the  Nautilus  was  first  closed,  and 
fastened  down  by  means  of  a  false  key,  with  which  Ned  laind 
had  provided  himself;  tiie  opening  in  the  boat  was  also  closed. 
T i  10  Can adiuii  began  to  loosen  the  bolts  which  still  held  us  to 
liio  i7uoniviJiine  boat* 


332  TV^ENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


Suddenly  a  noise  within  was  heard.  Voices  were  answering 
each  other  loudly.  What  was  the  matter?  Had  they  discovered 
our  night?  I  felt  Ned  Land  slipping  a  dagger  into  my 
hand. 

“  Yes,”  I  murmured,  “  we  know  how  to  die  !  ” 

The  Canadian  had  stopped  in  his  work.  But  one  word  many 
times  repeated,  a  dreadful  word,  revealed  the  cause  of  the  agita¬ 
tion  spreading  on  hoard  the  Nautilus.  It  was  not  we  the  crew 
were  looking  after ! 

“  The  maelstrom  I  the  maelstrom  !  ”  I  exclaimed. 

The  maelstrom !  Could  a  more  dreadful  word  in  a  more  dread¬ 
ful  situation  have  sounded  in  our  ears !  We  were  then  ujwn  the 
dangerous  coast  of  Norway.  Was  the  Nautilus  being  drawn  into 
this  gulf  at  the  moment  our  boat  was  going  to  leave  its  sides? 
We  knew  that  at  the  tide  the  pent-up  waters  between  the  island? 
of  Ferroe  and  Loffoden  rush  with  irresistible  violence,  forming  / 
whirlpool  from  which  no  vessel  ever  escapes.  From  every  point 
of  the  horizon  enormous  waves  were  meeting,  forming  a  gulf 
justly  called  the  “  Navel  of  the  Ocean,”  whose  power  of  attraction 
extends  to  a  distance  of  twelve  miles.  There,  not  only  vessels, 
but  whales,  are  sacrificed,  as  well  as  white  bears  from  the  north¬ 
ern  regions. 

It  is  thither  that  the  Nautilus,  voluntarily  or  involuntarily,  had 
been  run  by  the  captain. 

It  was  describing  a  spiral,  the  circumference  of  which  was 
lessening  by  degrees,  and  the  boat,  which  was  still  fastened  to 
its  side,  was  carried  along  with  giddy  speed.  I  felt  that  sickly 
giddiness  which  arises  from  long-continued  whirling  round. 

We  were  in  dread.  Our  horror  was  at  its  height,  circulation 
had  stopped,  all  nervous  influence  was  annihilated,  and  we  were 
covered  with  cold  sweat,  like  a  sweat  of  agony !  And  what  noise 
around  our  frail  bark?  What  roarings  repeated  by  the  echo 
miles  away !  What  an  uproar  was  that  of  the  waters  broken  on 
the  sharp  rocks  at  the  bottom,  where  the  hardest  bodies  are 
crushed,  and  trees  worn  away,  “  with  all  the  fur  rubbed  off,” 
according  to  the  Norwegian  phrase  I 

What  a  situation  to  be  in !  We  rocked  frightfully.  The 
Nautilus  defended  itself  like  a  human  being.  Its  steel  muscles 


I 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDEK  THE  S21A3. 


cracked.  Sometimes  it  seemed  to  stand  upright,  and  we 
with  it! 

“We  must  hold  on,”  said  Ned,  “and  look  after  the  bolts.  We 
/nay  still  be  saved  if  we  stick  to  the  Nautilus — ” 

He  had  not  finished  the  words,  when  we  heard  a  crashing 
noise,  the  bolts  gave  way,  and  the  boat,  tom  from  its  groove,  was 
hurled  like  a  stone  from  a  sling  into  me  midst  of  the  whirlpool. 

My  head  struck  on  a  piece  of  iron,  and  with  the  violent  shoc^k 
1  lost  all  consciousness. 


CHAPTER  XXIIL 


CONCLUSION. 

Thus  ends  the  voyage  under  the  seas.  What  passed  during 
that  night— how  tlie  boat  escaped  from  the  eddies  of  the  mael¬ 
strom,  iiovv  Ned  Land,  Conseil  and  myself  ever  came  out  of  llie 
guii —  I  can  not  tell. 

llut  when  I  returned  to  consciousness,  I  was  lying  in  afislicr- 
mni’s  hut,  on  the  Loffoden  Isles.  My  two  companions,  safe  and 
sound,  were  near  me  holding  my  hands.  We  embraced  each 
otluu'  heartily. 

At  that  moment  we  could  not  think  of  returning  to  France. 
Tiui  means  of  communication  between  the  north  of  Norway  and 
the  south  are  rare,  and  I  am  therefore  obliged  to  wait  for  the 
steamboat  running  monthly  from  Cape  North. 

And  among  the  worthy  people  who  have  so  kindly  received  us 
I  revise  my  record  of  these  adventures  once  more.  Not  a  fact 
has  been  omitted,  not  a  detail  exaggerated.  It  is  a  faithful  nar¬ 
rative  of  this  incredible  expedition  in  an  element  inaccessible  to 
man,  but  to  which  Progress  will  one  day  open  a  road. 

Shall  I  be  believed  ?  I  do  not  know.  And  it  matters  little, 
after  all.  What  I  now  affirm  is,  that  I  have  a  right  to  speak  of 
these  seas,  under  which,  in  less  than  ten  months,  I  ha\e  crossed 
20,000  leagues  in  that  submarine  tour  of  the  world,  which  has 
revealed  so  many  wonders. 

But  what  has  become  of  the  Nautilus?  Did  it  resist  the  press¬ 
ure  of  the  maelstrom?  Does  Captain  Nemo  still  live?  And 
does  he  still  follow  under  the  ocean  those  frightful  retaliations^ 
Or  did  he  stop  after  that  last  hecatomb? 

Will  the  waves  one  day  carry  to  him  this  manuscript  contain¬ 
ing  the  history  Qjt  his  life?  Shall  I  ever  know  the  name  of  this 


TWENTY  THOUSAND  LEAGUES  UNDER  TUE  SEA»  830 


man?  Will  the  missing  vessel  tell  us  by  its  nationality  that  ol 
Captain  Nemo? 

I  hope  so.  And  I  also  hope  that  his  powerful  vessel  has  con¬ 
quered  the  sea  at  its  most  terrible  gulf,  and  that  the  Nautilus 
has  survived  where  so  many  other  \  esselshave  been  lost  I  If  it 
be  so,  if  Captain  Nemo  still  inhabits  the  ocean,  his  adopted 
country,  may  hatred  be  appeased  in  that  savage  heart  I  May 
the  contemplation  of  so  many  wonders  extinguish  forever  the 
spirit  of  vengeance !  May  the  judge  disappear,  and  the  phi¬ 
losopher  continue  the  peaceful  exploration  of  the  sea !  If  his 
destiny  be  strange,  it  is  also  sublime.  Have  I  not  understood  it 
myself  ?  Have  I  not  lived  ten  months  of  this  unnatural  life  ? 
And  to  the  question  asked  by  Ecclesiastes  3,000  years  ago,  “That 
which  is  far  off  and  exceeding  deep,  who  can  find  it  out  ?  ”  tw* 
men  alone  of  all  now  hving  have  the  right  to  give  an  answer,- 

Captain  Nemo  and  myself. 

THE  END. 


- ►-< - 

MRS.  SPARKS  OF  PARIS. 

A  REALBSTIC  NOVEL. 

B3r  CTJI^TIS  B03:TID- 

- - 

The  history  of  a  hopeless  love  and  a  desperate  crime  ;  a 
study  of  woman  in  her  better  and  her  worst  pha'Se  ;  a  strip¬ 
ping  of  falsity  from  femininity,  and  an  insight  into  the  causes 
that  lead  woman  to  passionate  love  and  the  abyss  of  passion¬ 
ate  forgetfulness.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  and  interest¬ 
ing  studies  of  the  season  ;  a  character-reading  that  every 
one  should  be  familiar  with  ;  a  psychological  and  natural 
picture  of  life  as  it  is,  but  as  it  is  seldom  regarded. 

Beautifully  written  in  the  style  of  the  best  examples  of 
early  French  work,  a  reminder  of  the  diction  of  Abb6  Prevost, 
with  the  unjarring  ease  of  “  Manon  Lescaut,”  it  has  a  pleasant 
rhythmic  flow  which  carries  the  reader  spell-bound  by  the 
unusual  interest  of  its  mystery. 


Paper  Cover,  Price  -------  30  Cents, 

Bound  in  Clotli  Extra,  Price  -  -  01.00. 

- - 

cSc  l^OSS, 

42  Park  Place  and  37  Barclay  St.,  New  York. 

For  sale  by  all  book  and  news  dealers,  or  sent  by  mail,  postage  prepaid 
Upon  receipt  of  the  price  by  the  publishers. 


■rfliT'^iiTiTTTr'  ilT—niilii  HIM  '  >. 

A  WEEKLY  LIBEAEY  OP  STANDARD  PICTION. 


S1TBSCRIPTION,  $15  PER  YEAR  IN  ADVANCE. 


The  follo7uing  numbers  are  already  issued  and  in  course  of  publication: 

rJo.  1  .—liagarderej  or,  the  Hunchback  of  Paris.  Ey  Paul  Fcval . 25 

2. — Tlie  Adventures  of  Peter  Wilkins . 25 

3. — Tliinks  I  to  Myself,  Ey  Thinks  I  to  lilyself  WHO? . 25 

4. — Wagner;  or,  the  Wehr-Wolf.  Ey  George  W.  M.  Eeynolds . 50 

5. — Omar  Paslia;  or,  the  ■\'i::icr’s  Daughter.  By  Geo.  W.  M.  Reynolds . 50 

G.— Willy  Reilly  and  Ills  Ocar  t'olleen  Rawn.  By  W.  Carleton  ,25 

Y. — Tlio  Orange  Plume,  Ey  Alexandre  Eumas . 25 

8.— Olympia  of  Cleves;  or,  the  Loves  of  a  King.  By  Alexandre  Dumas  .50 
G.— TSie  Count  de  Mailly,  By  Alexandre  D  mas . 25 

10. — Paust.  APiomancc.  Ey  George  W.  ]\I.  Reynolds . 50 

11. — Tlae  White  Phantom.  By  ]\Iiss  M.  E.  Braddon . 50 

12. — '’H'lie  Factory  Girl.  By  Miss  M.  E.  Braddon . 50 

13. — The  Rowager;  or,  the  New  School  for  Scandal .  .50 

14.  — Mark  Jarrett’s  I5ai.sy,  By  Pierce  Egan . 50 

15.  — Three  Millions  Income;  or  the  French  Heiress.  By  Eugene  Sue.  .50 

16. — The  Biack  Band.  By  Miss  M.  E.  Braddon . 25 

IT.— Oscar  Betrand.  By  Miss  JI.  E.  Braddon . 25 

18.  — Catharine  Volmar.  By  George  "W.  M.  Reynolds .  .50 

19. — P«>or  Miss  Finch.  By  Wilkie  Collins  . 25 

20. — liClia;  or,  the  Star  of  Mingrelia.  By  George  W.  M.  Reynolds . 50 

21.  — Karaman;  or,  the  Bandit  Chief.  By  George  W.  M.  Reynolds . 50 

22. — Too  Old  a  Bird  to  he  Caught  with  Chaff . 50 

23. — A  Marriage  of  Mystery;  or,  the  Lost  Bride.  Lady  Clara  Cavendish.  .50 

24. — Margaret,  Marchioness  of  Miniver,  Lady  Clara  Cavendisn. . .  ,25 

25. -  Elush  Money.  A  Life  Drama.  By  C.  H.  Ross . 25 

2G.— The  r.ondon  Apprentice.  By  Pierce  Egan . 25 

27. — I^illian’s  Fate;  or,  the  Lads  of  Old  London.  By  Pierce  Egan . 25 

28. —  The  Veiled  Bady;  or,  the  Throne  and  the  Scaffold.  By  Pierce  Egan  ,25 

20.— Bady  Blanche;  or,  the  Castle  and  the  Cottage.  By  Pierce  Egan . 50 

30. — The  Divorce.  A  Tale  of  Fashionable  Life.  By  Lady  Clara  Cavendish  ,25 

Get  the  Best  and  see  that  the  “  IMPERIAL  SERIES  ”  is  on  Covers. 


Any  volume  sent  by  mail,  postage  prepaid,  upon  receipt  of  the  adver- 
tisf*d  price.  Postage  stamps  taken  for  mail  orders,  and  subscription^ 
received  for  the  series  as  follows  : 


CtuJirferly,  in  advance,  13  Nunabers,  . $4,00- 

JinlfVearly,  “  26  “  .  . 7.50. 

Yearly,  “  62  “  . . 46.00 


THK  ECF[0  SKRIES. 


A  WEEKLY  LIBEAEY  OF  STAKDAED  FICTICIi. 


The  following  are  already  oublished  and  in  course  of  publi 


cation  : 


No.  1. 

2. 


(( 

(( 

66 

66 

66 

66 

66 


3. 

5, 

G. 

7. 

fe. 

0. 


10. 
«  il. 
12. 
“  13. 

“  n. 

“  15. 
“  16. 
«  17. 

“  18. 
“  19. 

20. 
21. 
22. 
«  23. 
“  24. 

25. 
“  26. 
“  27. 
28. 
29. 


“  30, 
‘"3  1. 

66  Qf* 

«.>  •'  » 

O 

ij  • 

“  34. 

35. 

36. 


Allan  Quatermain.  By  H.  Rider  Haggard . 

Kinii^  Solomon's  ITIlnes.  By  H.  Riiler  Haggard . 

mYi!lllSi.r\'\sivifi,'  THEHKARTOFA  IVOMAN."  A  Domestic  Novel 

Tlio  Strangje  Case  of  Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde  . 

She:  A  History  off  Adventure.  By  H.  Rider  Haggard . 

A  Modern  Circe.  By  the  “•Duchess.”  . 

The  Red  Camelia.  By  Fortun6  du  Boisgobey . 

As  in  a  Looking<°6rlass.  By  P.  O.  I'bilips . 

The  Marchioness;  or,  A  Marriage  hy  Will.  By  Octane 

Feu  Ilei,  author  of  The  Romauce  of  a  Poor  Young  Man.” . 

The  Search  for  Ancestors.  By  Fortune  du  Boisgobey . . 

Dr.  Jacob.  A  Novel.  By  M.  Bertham  Edwards  . 

liealities  of  Irish  Life.  By  VV.  Steuart  Trench . 

The  Crime  of  Chance.  By  Frances  M.  I’eard..  . 

Trench’s  Wives;  or,  The  Carrington  Mystery . 

The  Rose  Garden.  Love  Story.  By  Frances  M.  I’eard . 

The  Usurper.  By  Judith  Gautier . 

Liovo’s  Madness;  or.  The  Tarantula’s  Sting,  ARoiniuceof 


.2 

.2 

.1.; 

.2 

-9  . 


%  Am-  O 


.25 


.25 
.25 
.25 
.25 
.2  5 

o  \ 

^Am  69 

.25 

.25 


Baffled  Plot  and  Wasted  Passion.  By  Mathilde  Blind  . 

Unawares;  or.  The  Notary’s  Plot.  By  Frances  M.  Peard — 
The  Squire’s  Daughter ;  or.  The  Mystery  of  Thorpe  Rpgis . 

Camille;  or.  The  Uady  with  the  Caiiiciias.  By  D  mas... 


.25 

.25 

.  i  > 
.2  J 

Laiitte;  or.  The  PSraJe  of  the  Gulf.  By  Pruf.  J.  II.  lugrahum  «v.5 

i  hrisline;  or,  Woman's  Trials  and  Triumphs.  Laura  J.  Curtis . 25 

Out  of  the  Sfree’s.  By  Charles  Gayler . 

t  hristmaw  Tsiles.  By  Charles  Dickens . 

George  Barnwell.  By  T.  S.  Siirr . . . 

Tlie  Tenant  House  ;  or.  Embers  fiom  Povertys  Hearth  Stone . 

Wacousta;  or  The  Prophecy.  By  Richardson . 

Matilda  Montgomerie,  or,  The  Prophecy  Fulfilled.  By  Richardson 
Our  Cousin  Veronica  ;  or.  Scenes  and  Adventures  over  the  Blue 

Ridge.  j\I.  K.  Wortnel  y . 

asaiiiello  ;  or.  The  Fisherman '’s  League.  By  Alexandre  Dumas... 

S'.caric;  or.  The  $alon'=>t  of  Paris,  By  Major  Richardson . 

1>'ii  vor  Twist.  By  Charles  Dickens . 

Caiioiibury  Hou.se;  or.  The  Queen’s  Prophecy.  By  Reynolds. . . 

Ada  Arundel;  or,  The  Secret  Corridor.  By  Reynold"^ . 

Olivia:  or,  The  Mahl  of  Honor.  By  G.  VV.  M.  Reynolds . 

The  Beggar  of  Nitties.  By  Alexandre  Dumas . 


.25 

.25 

.25 


.2^ 

.25 


r 


r25 
.2  5 


>2  5 


Quarterly,  in  advance,  13  Nos., 
Half  Yearly,  in  advance,  26  Nos., 
Yearly,  “  “  52  “ 


82.50 

5.00 

10.00 


This  book  is  due  at  the  WALTER  R.  DAVIS  LIBRARY  on 
the  last  date  stamped  under  “Date  Due.”  If  not  on  hold,  it  may 
be  renewed  by  bringing  it  to  the  library. 


DATE  DUE 

RETURNED 

DATE  DUE 

RETURNED 

U  U  L  ‘ 

2015 

1  RhCEIV 

ED  SEP  2  0 

2015 

FORM  NO  513, 

REV.  1/84 

o/>^  // 


V  v  'v 


